Mistaken Identity
by Rainwriter
Summary: What happens when the Trust makes a deal with a foreign agent? Well nothing good, particularly when our favorite archeologist accidentally steps into the middle of it... Rewrite in process soon, suggestions appreciated. Rewriting Chapter 13 1-12rewritten.
1. Whatever Could Go Wrong

Disclaimer: If you recognize it from Stargate, it's not mine and belongs to MGM, and all the others that have claim to it. The only thing I'm getting from this is, hopefully, the readers enjoyment, so please don't sue, you wouldn't get much anyway.

* * *

Chapter One: Whatever Could Go Wrong...

New York, it looked different today, than it had the last time she'd been here on a mission. Years could do that to a person, a situation. It looked darker now, so much more crowded and cheaper somehow, gaudier. Was it the lens of experience that painted this different picture, or was it something else? All she knew was that there was something here that she didn't like. This wouldn't have been her choice for an exchange like this. It was much too open, there were many to many ways that this could go wrong. A shoulder jostled against hers in the crowd as she moved to cross the street towards the point of exchange, and only a quick step, and a run in with another person kept her from loosing the contents of her pockets.

"This is really starting to feel wrong," Leigh McAllister thought at her sister. "I don't like the way this is set up here. It would be easy for someone to disappear in this crowd, or be made to disappear." She looked around nonchalantly, scanning for signs of ambush. "Why am I doing this again?" The sea around her was much to good a mask, even holding the decent height that she did, she couldn't see far in it. The number of briefcases just like the one that she held, was astounding. This wasn't the way that an operation was supposed to work. She was about to call it off, when she got her response.

"Naquahdria, remember? Between the two of us I think we could stabilize the stuff, then just think what you could do. You wouldn't have to worry about power ever again, that AI might just be within your reach," Deirdra's mental voice turned wheedling near the end.

"I want it as much as you do, but they're late, this feels wrong," Leigh cast her eyes on another scan of the area, glancing up at the molding of the buildings that towered all around her. That's when she saw it, the glint of metal in an upstairs window, movement on a rooftop where there shouldn't be. They'd set her up. She swore, loudly, and broke off into the crowd in a different direction than she'd been heading, looking to disappear into it. Still, her eyes kept roving, looking for anyone or anything out of place. To the outside observer she looked fully relaxed, just like anyone else. Inside, she was terrified. She'd known this was a bad idea. How was it that Deirdra always managed to talk her into these situations? Why, oh why did she always have to clean up the messes?

In her dazed state, and outward focus on anything out of place, she found herself slamming hard into the body of a fully in place man. The briefcase that she'd been holding dropped from her hands at the sudden shock, and she stumbled. In the space of an instant she committed every detail of his appearance to memory. Tall, thirties, short hair, blond or light brown, blue eyes, glasses. He was wearing a light blue polo shirt and slacks, there were loafers on his feet. The hands that steadied her were calloused, strong.

"Whoa, sorry about that, are you okay?" His voice was low, pleasant. His features highly attractive. Under different circumstances, she would have been flustered, but she couldn't be now. There was no time, they were closing in. If she didn't move soon she'd end up surrounded.

"Yeah, sorry." She muttered, grabbing at the nearest briefcase as she slipped back into the crowd. She had to get away now, before they spotted her. She slipped down an alley, hopefully unobserved, and when she walked out the other side, she was a different person. More accurately she was looking like herself again, long auburn hair trailing around her in wavy strands, dark green eyes a mask of relief.

"Glad I didn't leave anything at the hotel," she muttered, "It's nice to know that my instincts are still sharp, I'll be on the first plane I can manage sis. See you soon."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Deirdra demanded.

"Yeah, I'm good. Requesting radio silence," Silence greeted her. With a sigh, Leigh made her way away from the square, and towards a place that she could only hope would be safe.

* * *

It was three hours later before she went to ground at a hole-in-the wall hotel that she'd gotten covertly two days ago. No one had even known that she was in the country, she'd made sure of that. Her equipment was waiting for her when she got there, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Her relief lasted only until she opened her briefcase to check on the contents. Then she swore again, this wasn't her briefcase. No, somehow she'd ended up with a briefcase full of what appeared to be papers that needed translation, and the notes to assist with it. Which meant that the man she'd bumped into had her briefcase, the one with the prototype personal cloaking device, and the production notes for said prototype and the nanotech that she and her sister had developed when they needed an extra edge. Information that she was supposed to be trading with the United States for a power source.

This was bad, very, very bad. A careful search showed no sign of identification in the briefcase, and Leigh set to work with her fingerprint kit. Running the fingerprints through all databases at her disposal, seemed to be straining her internet connection a bit, and she wondered absently what Deirdra was up to. She brushed the thought off, performing a more thorough search of the case, scanning it for tracking or communications devices of any kind. She'd learned the lesson about that long ago. There weren't any. When she finished that, she checked her locks and booby traps, then began dismantling and cleaning her guns, putting them together as she finished. She'd exhausted weaponry, and had moved on to checking her chemicals and explosive equipment when her computer beeped up a match.

One look at the screen and she froze. United States Air Force, the man that this briefcase belonged to was USAF? She scanned the screen more carefully. Dr. Daniel Jackson, civilian consultant, linguist, archeologist. Apparently the head of his department, which consisted of a large portion of the civilian researchers at the Cheyenne Mountain complex.

"Deep space radar telemetry?" Leigh scoffed. "How much more obviously a cover story could they get?" The picture did match the man that she'd bumped into though. _They set me up!_ Anger surged. The U.S. Government had their package, and all she had were these useless symbols, and translation notes, not the newly found energy source she'd been promised. A little careful searching told her that Dr. Jackson had been on his way to the airport. That meant she was on her way to Colorado Springs to get her stuff back. That could take awhile. Suppressing her rage, Leigh pulled up the highly encrpted messaging system she and her sister used, and typed out a quick note. _We have a problem, a very big one. I need you to stay put and run interference for me back home. I'm going to be here a bit, and I may have been compromised. Therefore, requesting communications blackout._

It didn't take long for Deirdra to get back to her. _If you're sure you can handle it little sis. Be careful, I'll do what I can to keep mom and dad ignorant. If you need me I'm only a transmission away. Blackout request acknowledged. _Then her computer crashed.

Good, Deirdra had gotten her deeper message then, no one would be pulling up anything on her computer if she really had been compromised. No one would get to the rest of her family even if they got her. It had happened before, and she wasn't going to let it happen again. Mom and dad were getting too old to still be in the game, it was time to stop letting people protect her, and start protecting the people she loved. After all, she wasn't thirteen anymore, she was a woman grown. It was time to start acting like it. That meant fixing this herself, and that would require at least a little planning.

Leigh turned her eyes to the notes she'd taken. He worked on base, and that was likely where her briefcase was, she would check his house first anyway. It would be a million times easier. Maybe she'd get lucky. But first she needed to make some preparations, just in case she actually needed to get into the base. With luck, she'd find, or craft, a way to get in legitimately. Legitimately would be a who lot easier on everyone. She had most of the things that she would need if it did come to breaking in, and the rest could be obtained in Colorado. For now, she needed to get herself and her cargo onto a plane, quickly. So her work began.

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A/N: This has been the rewrite for chapter one. I hope that a few things have been made a little clearer. If not, oh well, there has still been some much needed description added. As ever, any and all comments so long as they're constructive are accepted and appreciated. Thank you for reading, or rereading as the case may be.


	2. Damage Control

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

A/N: Here we go all, here's chapter two rewritten.

A/N2: Just realized I didn't tell you that this is set during season seven not to long after Daniel Descends. Kinda important to know.

So now without any more ado, I give you:

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Chapter Two: Damage Control

"What is it?" Daniel asked Sam as she looked over the contents of the briefcase. He'd brought it in as soon as his shock at the switch had worn off. By the time he'd gotten to base the shock had turned to dismay. This could be very, very bad, and not just because some unknown person out there had his translation notes. The contents of the briefcase were like nothing that he'd seen before. Certainly nothing he'd ever seen on Earth. This was advanced technology, of that he was sure.

"No clue," Sam returned, looking through the pages he'd been unable to decipher. She looked utterly fascinated, eyes glued to the papers. She hadn't even bothered to look at him as he spoke.

"More importantly, Dr. Jackson, who has your briefcase?" General Hammond asked as he entered the briefing room. " I don't think that I need to remind you how sensitive that material is. What sort of situation we could have on our hands if it fell into the wrong ones."

"No, you don't," Daniel returned, toying with his glasses in a futile attempt to hide his irritation. "I bumped into a woman on my way to the airport. She had a briefcase too. We must have switched then." He ducked his head then, pinching at the bridge of his nose trying desperately to remember all of the details. He'd been so preoccupied with what he'd found in a book at the Morgan Library that he couldn't say he was entirely surprised that something had gone wrong. The whole trip had been too uneventful he should have realized something was going to happen.

"Well, what did she look like?" Hammond prompted.

"Don't bother," Sam called with a frown as she held up a sheaf of papers. "These are the plans for some kind of nanotech, appearance modifiers. There's no telling the woman Daniel saw was using her own appearance," Sam shook her head looking confused. "I don't get it, this shouldn't be possible, all these components are found here on earth..." She trailed off shaking her head, frown deepening.

"Translation?" Jack requested as he finally joined them. Hammond raised his eyebrows at him, and Jack shrugged apologetically.

"There's someone out there that Sam wants to have a nice long talk with," Daniel replied, voice resigned. "And she happens to have my most recent finding about the Lost City of the Ancients. Unfortunately, we don't know how to find her, or who she is."

"Have you tried dusting for prints?" Jack suggested.

"I'm running them now," Sam replied, not bothering to look up from the pages she was looking through with rapt intensity.

"Well, you seem to have things well in hand," Hammond remarked. "Keep me posted.

"Will do, sir," Jack promised as the general left the room. Daniel closed his eyes for a moment, trying desperately to remember anything that could help them. Slowly, a very fuzzy image began to form in his head. Dark eyes filled with desperation, pale hair looking tousled like she'd been pushing through the crowd.

"She was running from something!" He blurted out just as Jack was about to leave the room. "Something seemed off, but I wasn't sure what at the time. She was hiding it very well, but she was running."

"Do you think she stole it?" Jack asked, nodding to the briefcase.

"I have no clue," He said shaking his head, face grim. "Let's hope we get some results on those finger prints, because there's only one way to find out."

* * *

It had taken her much too long to get here for her piece of mind. Still, getting explosives on to a plane hadn't been an easy task. Forging all of the necessary documents with only her lap top had been very difficult. The lack of Dierdra hadn't helped things like that had always been more her sisters specialty than hers. She'd managed though, and here she was.

Leigh looked around the small hotel room carefully. Yes, it would do, easily fortified. She wouldn't be here long, so it's run down nature didn't mean anything. She'd taken the last several hours to look over the hieroglyphics, just in case she'd over reacted, but they didn't say a thing about Naquahdria as far as she could tell. It was all about a lost city that had been intentionally sunk. Why anyone would want to research Atlantis, she had no clue. Needless to say, she was very, very angry. One way or another she was going to even things out. Even if it meant breaking into Cheyenne Mountain and finding Dr. Jackson. It was one of the most secure military bases in existence, but she was sure that she could do it if she had to. Most places weren't equipped nearly well enough to keep her out. Still, best it not come to that.

"No more time to lose," she muttered, as the sun began to sink in the sky. It was time to head out and clean up one more mess orchestrated by her sister. One of these days, she was going to resign and actually follow through with it... She stopped her musing then and there, she couldn't afford to be distracted. Not right before she started a mission. She took a deep breath, and a moment to clear her head before heading to the door. Setting up safeguards to tell her if someone was in her room in her absence was quick and easily done. Then she headed on her way.

It didn't take particularly long to find Dr. Jackson's home, but there was no sign of him, the place was deserted. A quick search of the one story building showed her that the doctor had good taste. There was no useful information to be found though, and she headed back to her hotel room.

"Well, it looks like I'm looking at option number two then," she muttered. She was back in her hotel room before an hour had passed, and came "home" to a very troubling alert, someone had been checking up on Deirdra, which meant that her sister hadn't wiped her prints.

"When will she ever learn?" Leigh demanded of the heavens. They'd be expecting her now, that was for sure, trying to get in "legitimately" was no longer an option. She growled, she really hated breaking into top secret facilities, there was never any guarantee that you'd get out undetected. Well, she certainly wasn't about to go in unprepared. _First stop, Wal-Mart._

SO what did you think likes, dislikes, ideas, it's all welcome just let me know what's on your mind, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. ; ).


	3. Cleaning up Messes

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

A/N: And the rewrite has reached chapter three... Hope it clears stuff up.

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Chapter Three: Cleaning Up Messes...

It was 0500 hours by the time Leigh pulled into the parking lot for hikers in the small park campground. She needed somewhere to stow her car, and she didn't dare leave it abandoned. Any more clues hat she was coming would be bad for her, from here she'd just have to go on foot. The long walk would suck, but it wasn't the first time she'd gone on a long trek across country. At least there wasn't snow... Shaking her head to clear away the cobwebs two sleepless nights in a row were beginning to create, she checked her gear one last time to ensure everything was in place. Certain she had everything she needed, she headed into the trees, cloaking as soon as she was out of sight. Invisible to the untrained eye, she made her way towards the Cheyenne Mountain base. At least they wouldn't be expecting something like this, even if they had figured out what the prototype cloaking device did. Lesson number one, no matter how much you teach, always keep a few secrets, one never knew when they would end up in a fight with their "student". Her father had given her that advice, though he didn't seem to subscribe to it himself, at least not as far as his little girls went, but one never knows really. Leigh chuckled softly_. Wool gathering already am I? I've would swear that I've had more experience in the field than **that.**_

It took a couple hours to get to the first check point that stopped cars, and then it was just a matter of waiting for a car to hitch in on. That didn't take long, the traffic seemed a little heavy really, then again, it was about time for everyone to be heading in to work. Getting into the elevator with the person she'd hitched a ride with was a little more tricky, he couldn't see or hear her, but if he touched her... When more people joined them on the elevator, not being touched got a little more difficult. With the increased crush of people, Leigh nearly started to panic.

Luckily, the one time anyone brushed against her, the man she'd followed at that, he seemed to shrug it off as another person in the elevator. That didn't keep her from being relieved when most of them got off at higher levels, and it was only her and the man who moved past the checkpoint at the eleventh level. Especially when she saw that this elevator was smaller. She couldn't afford to get caught, they couldn't know that she was here until she'd found the case, came up with a plan to get it out. She'd already come to terms with the fact that she may very well have to reveal herself at some point, but when it happened it would be on her time table and under her control. This was what she'd been trained her whole life for, if she screwed it up, then she'd be a disgrace to her family name. _Oh really?_ Asked a niggling little voice in the back of her head. _What are you trying to prove? Who has ever done anything like this alone?_

She pushed the voice away, she wouldn't screw this up. She couldn't let herself fail. She would prove to herself, and everyone else that she could do this. _I'm 25 years old_. She told that voice. _A highly trained agent with the most advanced technology on Earth at my disposal, not some snot nosed kid with nothing but a few explosives and a gun! I was stupid, it won't happen again!_

_Are you sure you can do what may need to be done?_ The voice taunted. _People may have to die to get you out of here if you go through with this. Can you do it if it does?_

_It won't come to that_. Her resolve firming as she shot the thought back. Her subconscious wasn't usually this verbal which meant that Deirdra was trying to talk to her on the sly... _If I have to I'll turn myself in. My biggest mission here is protecting you, that's who they think is involved in all of this_. The voice went silent. Well, she'd been right then. She was sending a mental command to her nanites to block all transmissions when the man, 'Colonel.' She corrected herself, stepped out of the elevator, she followed his lead, then went in the opposite direction. You didn't get to that rank without lots of experience, usually combat experience. She would hate herself if she was found out because she followed the wrong person. Well, time to find a way to a computer... She needed some clue where to find what she was looking for after all.

* * *

"Good, you're okay," Daniel looked up at Jack coffee cup midway to his lips, and quirked his brow.

"Is there some reason that I shouldn't be?" He asked his friend. "That is why I stayed on base after all, you should know. It was your idea." Why was it that all of his friends seemed to think that he needed looking after? He'd died, it was true, but really they all had, more than once... He schooled his annoyance into remission, no easy thing at 8:30 in the morning. Jacks uneasy expression made it a little easier though "What's wrong? Why wouldn't I be okay?"

Jack just shook his head. "Just watch yourself today okay, it's probably nothing."

Now Daniel started getting a little worried and a he got up from his desk. "What's going on Jack?" He asked, frowning.

"Nothing," Jack's smile was forced. "Just forget I ever mentioned anything." That's when the telephone rang.

"Hello?" Daniel asked into the receiver.

"Just calling to make sure you were okay," Sam's voice came to his ears. "There's reason to believe that General McAllister is here, on base. Unannounced and unexpected. Why she'd break in I have no clue, but be careful, okay. That she did could be a very bad sign."

"Thanks for the heads up," He said quickly, then hung up giving Jack his best "spill" look. "So, Sam thinks Gen. McAllister might be here? Do you know anything about that?"

From his expression, Jack was thinking curse words. "Oh for crying out loud..." Was the closest he came to voicing them. "I thought someone was on the elevator with me, but I couldn't see anything and didn't manage to touch anything. I figured I was just being paranoid." He did curse that time.

"Calm down, Jack. I'm sure if she wanted to hurt me, I'd be hurt already." Daniel rubbed at his eyes for a moment, thinking. "We'll need to handle this carefully. We still don't know what she was doing with the stuff or where she got it. It wasn't anything that came through the gate." He turned his eyes to those of his team leader. "We're going to need a plan."

* * *

After she'd gotten into a lab, it had been any easy thing to gain access to the base schematics and personnel files. It hadn't been particularly comfortable, finding out what it was that she'd gotten in the middle of. Briefly, she considered just letting them have the freaking blueprints given what they did here, but common sense had gotten the better of her. So long as she had something that belonged to them, they would be after her, or Deirdra rather. She couldn't let that happen, she had to make this exchange. For her sister's sake if nothing else. So it was that she made her way to Dr. Jackson's room through the ventilation ducts... It took a while, but she found it. A thorough searched showed her nothing of any import, though there was a picture on his night stand, a young woman, pretty. She locked that face away for later consideration, and slipped back into the ventilation shafts. She really needed to pee...

After hours of easy going, her luck finally ran out in the bathroom. Someone else came into it as she was flushing the toilet, not certain if she'd been detected yet, she didn't dare start the alarm just yet. Given what these people had been through, a toilet that flushed itself would be huge red flag. Altering her appearance, and the appearance of her clothes with a thought, she stepped out into the bathroom, and washed her hands at the sink, before heading out into the corridor. _Damn!_ She growled mentally. Her bag was still in the air shafts and it could be awhile before she got back to it. For now, she forced herself to relax, she needed to blend in. Leigh really hated being behind enemies lines alone and exposed. Of course this was still better than the alternative, her family in danger... Again. Even if she got caught, that would still leave mom and dad safe, and Deirdra to pull her out of the fire, which she would regardless of if Leigh wanted her to or not.

She passed a small group of soldiers, and had to modify her breathing to keep from tensing up when one of them glanced back at her, looking a little curious. It helped, when the other soldiers dragged him along talking about food, of all things. Now, if she could just get back into the air ducts, she'd be fine. A voice caught her attention as she passed a door that was ajar. It nagged at her, and so she stopped for a moment, stooping to check on her shoelace.

"That's not likely to work Jack,"The voice chided. "If she's as good as everyone says, then what's to keep her from setting up an ambush of her own?"

Well, there was only likely to be one person they were talking about. She looked around the the area, and seeing no one, and no cameras, she cloaked, and slipped into the room. "Why betray us if we offer her her stuff and a pardon for breaking in here to begin with? Why deny that oh so, appealing offer when all she has to do is drop the case in your room, and walk away?" That was the man she'd been on the elevator with, Colonel Jack O'Neill, the blond was Major Samantha Carter. There was one member of this team missing.

"We can't discount the possibility that she's working with the Trust," Major Carter chimed in. "It's possible that she wants both."

For a moment, Leigh saw red. What did these people think that Deirdra was, some evil bitch? She'd read up on everything that was connected to Dr. Jackson including those people, damned doom-saying extremists is what those people were. To be linked with them... Leigh shuddered, then slipped away with a purely internal growl. It was time to give these people their package back, and get her payment, or the technology. Any thought of letting them have it for free was gone, by thinking things like that about Deirdra, they'd made this far to personal.

Daniel paced the briefing room, nerves making it impossible to sit down just yet. A glance at his teammates showed them looking no more comfortable than he was. Jack was leaning against the table, his arms crossed over his chest, and Sam was sitting at the table, fiddling with a stack of papers. He didn't blame them. What they were about to do was extremely risky. They all knew it, but it had to be done all the same. It didn't mean he had to like it. He'd gladly have done something else, anything else, but this seemed to be their only option.

Sam shot to her feet, and Jack straightened to attention when Gen. Hammond walked into the room, Daniel stopped pacing out of respect. "At ease," Hammond said, sounding weary as he took his seat. They all followed suit. "I take it you've found something?"

"We have," Jack replied, then hesitated. "Sir," He tacked on as an after thought.

"We think she might be working with the Trust," Daniel picked up.

"I dug a little deeper, and she doesn't seem to exist, nothing I found about her fit together, sir,"Sam put in. "About the only thing that was agreed upon was that she's a highly trained killer."

"I still think we should make a deal with her," Jack groused. "Give it back, and get her stuff back, no questions asked."

"Well, why haven't you?" Gen Hammond asked. "We have no way of knowing if she's working with the Trust, that seems like a reasonable suggestion to me. Just so long as she signs the applicable paper work. Do it."

"With all due respect, sir," Sam put in, "No matter what else she is, she's a highly trained killer. What's to keep her from picking us off one by one, and keeping it all?"

"She hasn't done anything like that yet. If you have a better idea Major I'd love to hear it," Hammond replied voice rising ever so slightly. Sam said nothing, and he continued after a short pause, calm again. "If there's anything else?"

"Actually sir, there is," Sam held up the papers she'd been toying with. "The device that was in the briefcase, I know what it is."

"It's mine is what it is!" Snapped an angry voice from behind him, and Daniel turned quickly only to come face to face with... Sha're?

* * *

A/N: *laughs evilly* I love Danny but that doesn't mean I won't put him through the ringer... Oh, and it'll be clear soon enough, but Leigh doesn't know that Deirdra is a Brigadier General in the USAF... Of course they also think she's in her 40's... *grins* Things are finally starting to get interesting folks, so now it's time to really be hitting that review button. I need to know what your thinking to keep things up. Also, now that I'm getting into interactions with canon characters, I'd like feedback if I get them to far out of character in your opinion. I do my best, but I don't write for the show... If you'd like a reply beyond my general THANK YOU ALL, for your review, let me know, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.


	4. Or Not

For disclaimer see chapter one.

A/N: Okay, okay... that was a nasty place to stop and if it upset anyone, _**I'm sorry**_, that said, no I didn't bring Sha're back from the dead, but you'll get to that very soon. Also, it's been rewritten now.

Chapter Four: ...Or Not.

* * *

It took Daniel a moment to get over his shock, but when he did, he noticed the slight differences in height and hair length. The person in front of him wasn't Sha're. In that moment, a briefcase, **his** briefcase, was thrust into his lap, hard. "That's not Naquahdria, which means you can tell your government the deal is off." Her eyes fell on him for a moment. "I made a few minor changes to your notes, they make more sense now," Then her eyes scanned over the others. "If you give me my things now, and pursue this no farther, I promise nothing will happen to you. If you don't take my advice, I refuse to be held responsible for the repercussions." As she finished speaking, her appearance began to change rapidly, height and gender were the only things that stayed the same, and Daniel forced his eyes away from the dizzying vision.

General Hammond, made for the door, but stopped when McAllister spoke again. "It won't open, try it if you'd like. I don't want to hurt you, but I need your promise that you'll let me alone."

"Then let us go," Jack reasoned. "Sign a few papers, and you'll be out of here by dinner time."

"Do you really think I'm that naive Colonel?" She demanded, body resolving into that of a slim strawberry blond. She turned her dark green eyes to General Hammond, "You have your papers, and my word that I won't tell anyone what I have learned here. Do I have your promise?"

"I'm afraid that I can't make that promise,"Hammond informed her. "There are four of us here, if you want a fight, you won't win. Best you just give up quietly. Things will go easier for you that way."

"There won't be any fighting," she murmured, and blinked out of sight.

"We already knew that you had a cloaking device," Jack commented absently as he rose to his feet.

"We did?" General Hammond asked brow wrinkling.

"We did, sir," Sam agreed, getting up as well. "We also know about your nanites. You're just as stuck as the rest of us, the air vents are closed, and will remain so until we give the order other wise."

"If you come out on your own, this can all get cleared up nice and easy," Jack continued. "You have real high clearance, if you co-operate, we may be able to figure something out. If you keep resisting you're just going to get locked away. Someone might even accidentally lose the key."

* * *

This had all been a set up? They'd known all along that she was there? Was she ever going to learn? "You set me up!" she snarled as she dropped out of hiding on the side of the room farthest from the rest. She was still wearing Deirdra's appearance very few knew which was which, anyway. "If you don't let me go, I won't be held responsible for what happens to you," She warned, equal parts baffled and furious. Where had she gone wrong? She felt her bluster slip just a little, but kept up the facade anyway. "How did you know?" She asked as if she didn't have the least interest in the answer.

"Just because you can't see a camera doesn't mean it can't see you," That was Dr. Jackson. "You gave yourself away before you even stepped into this room," He came toward her, and she backed against the blast door in an attempt to retreat. He kept coming anyway, and he didn't look particularly happy. "You're the girl I ran into in New York," He said slowly as he looked her over carefully. "You looked different then, your hair was longer, nearly white." His face hardened. "That was a nasty trick, looking like Sha're. Care to show us what you really look like?"

"I am as you see me now," Leigh replied. After all, she looked exactly like Deirdra, and that's who they thought she was. She needed to keep it that way. Who knew what would happen if they found out that they had the one that for all intents and purposes didn't exist at all. Her hand inched to the tranq powder that she'd stowed in her back pocket. Dr. Jackson had a gun in his hand in an instant, and two more hand guns were leveled at her as he stepped to the side. A hint of true fear hit her then.

"What's going on here?" General Hammond demanded.

"Like the girl said, sir, we set her up," Colonel O'Neill sounded victorious, and Leigh scowled at him. "Carter," He said sharply jerking his head towards Leigh. The Major left her gun out of reach, and patted Leigh down, stripping her person of any and all weapons that she found, which was most of them, and Leigh had no intention of using the few others. They had caught her fair and square. Handcuffs clicked around her wrists leaving a sour feeling in the pit of her stomach, she hated confinement worse than anything. Jackson and O'Neill re-holstered their guns once Carter was done.

"So, now, is when you tell us what we want to know," O'Neill snapped. "Starting with what you did to this door."

"Nothing permanent," She muttered, fixing her eyes on a point on the wall that no one was near. "It's just magnetically sealed. Of course, I'm the only one who can open it," Which wasn't entirely true, but her micro computer was tucked away in the vents somewhere, so that just left her nanites. "I'll need my hands free," She said looking pointedly over her shoulder.

"You heard the woman," General Hammond bit out. It went against the grain, treating an elder like this, but when in a desperate situation one had to recognize the opponent as such, even if they where nearly old enough to be your grandpa. She was free just as quickly as she'd been cuffed. "If you attempt to flee, I will not hesitate to issue a shot to kill command. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," She said crisply, then brushed past him, and passed her hand over the seal. It responded to her nanites and released. Bringing her hand down to the door knob, she turned it, then pushed the door open, and took a few steps backward, making it obvious that she wasn't going anywhere. How she was going to get herself out of this one, she had no clue, but she had to be alive to stand any chance at all. "You'll have questions I'm sure," she addressed the room in general. "But I'll only talk to him," She nodded toward Dr. Jackson. True, he was male, and attractive, but Carter had to keen an understanding of technology, and Hammond and O'Neill seemed to be military to the core. If she had any chance of escape at all, it would be from the archeologist. She was sure of it.

* * *

End Note: So, there's chapter four. And no, thinking of Daniel as attractive and Hammond and O'Neill as military to the bone doesn't mean anything, it's just that they're both old enough that she doesn't really think of them that way. Besides, as you'll see soon enough, attractive is not necessarily a good thing for men to be when it comes to Leigh...


	5. The Secrets Sister Keeps

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

A/N: Well here's chapter five. I hope you enjoy. Please note that this chapter has now been rewritten.

Chapter Five: The Secrets Sister Keeps

* * *

Leigh woke to her arms getting pulled roughly behind her back, Colonel O'Neill was picking himself up off the floor, rubbing his cheek. He didn't look happy, she didn't blame him. "Did I do that?" She murmured, still a bit sleep fogged. When she'd fallen asleep she had no clue, but she must have, it was the only reason she would feel this way, and the Colonel's eye would currently be swelling. She'd never taken very well to people touching her when she slept. Or coming too close either.

"Yup," O'Neill said tightly. "Unfortunately, the president is of the opinion that you deserve a full pardon for your breaking and entering, or I'd keep you right here for it... Ma'am" The last was added with grudging respect, and a large dollop of suspicion.

Why he was giving her an honorific she had no clue, but the rest of it wasn't lost on her. Leigh perked up as far as the grip on her arms would allow. "Does that mean I get to go?"

"Nope, you just get a better room. We still have authorization to hold you for questioning, and General or no, we fully intend to do so, ma'am." General? What hadn't Deirdra told her? Leigh kept her face impassive with an effort. Something told her that she'd stepped into a bigger fire than she'd ever began to imagine. "What I really don't get, is why break in when you could have just walked through the front door, and made your request. Of course the president didn't seem to happy about us asking that particular question, so Carter got it in her head to do some more research, and I've gotta say, your history reads like an inkblot test. Though she did find some interesting ties to the British." He was fishing, she could see it in his eyes, they didn't know anything useful, and he was fishing.

"I believe you said something about a better room, Colonel," She said instead of answering, wincing inside at her tone, "And I trust that my things will be returned to me?"

He nodded to a large envelope still on the floor with a scowl. "The weapons are in a munitions locker, but that's standard procedure, When you're released, they'll be returned to you. Do the British know you're here?" Okay, maybe they did know a thing or two...

"Undoubtedly," After all, if they'd talked to the president, then he'd have put in a few calls. With all the work the two had done for his country, he knew the McAllisters well enough to be sure he was the first with the news that one of them was being held in one of his military facilities. Things tended to get messy if they weren't handled just so.

"That should save some strife at least," He muttered. "As to why you were in New York-"

"If anyone wanted you to know, you wouldn't have to ask me," she shrugged off the fellow that was holding her, and rubbed gingerly at where he'd been holding her. It hadn't really hurt that much, but it was best if they underestimated her. "I'd like to see my room now." Her tone of voice made it an order. "Any other invasive questions that you'd like to ask?"

"You don't have much of an accent for having been born and raised over seas," He muttered with a scowl.

Oh yes, she'd thoroughly ticked him off. May as well play off of that, the real Deirdra would. She followed him out of the cage they'd put her in with a mostly forced chuckle "If you know that, then you also know that I finished up my studies at NYU. It was a nice change from Cambridge, mom and dad actually let me alone for a bit."

"Actually, we didn't, on either count," That was Dr. Jackson's voice, and she glanced at him in the reflection of the elevator doors as she entered it. Colonel O'Neill didn't join them, though the two armed guards did. "Thank you, for confirming a hunch," If he was so thankful, then why was he glaring at her like that? "Why bother with somewhere like NYU after Cambridge, anyway? You could have gone anywhere."

"Why didn't the Colonel join us?" Leigh asked, to forestall answering. They'd already gotten something from her, small though it may be. Until she knew more about what they did or didn't know she'd try not to add to the knowledge wherever she could. They already had her at a disadvantage, and it was starting to look like the people she was going to make the exchange with weren't the United States government after all. Unless the president was trying to double cross her. She seriously hoped he was smarter than that, the assurances that she was safe, and not a captive would only last so long. If that point was passed Dierdra would go on a rampage, and there was nothing Deirdra was better at than destroying things. If she wanted something gone, there were usually no traces left to find, no matter how big it had been to begin with.

Dr. Jackson's voice drew her away from her grim musings. "That would probably be because there were very strict orders about what we could and couldn't do with you, and so your rooms right next to mine." He sounded almost like it was a death sentence. Why did he dislike her so much, what had she done to him? True, that briefcase had probably hurt when she'd thrust it at him, but not that bad. Then his words actually caught up with her, and she got a little faint.

"What?" She breathed. Maybe the brig would have been better...

"It was made very clear that you were to be made at home for the duration of your stay. 'Treated like one of our own,' were the exact words." Okay, so that **might** explain why he was so bitter, still that seemed something trivial to be so rude to her about. More pressing however was the fact that she was going to be rooming right next to this, this **man**, this handsome, civilian man. If that bitchy attitude ever went away... Things could get uncomfortable. _What would Deirdra do?_ She wondered, but that was obvious. Deirdra would try to jump his bones and use the distraction as a means to facilitate her escape. Even the thought made Leigh squirm in her skin. She could never do that. No, best to keep him testy, she could deal with him that way, if he was all but yelling at her. Any other way, and she'd have no clue what to do with herself. So, much as she didn't like to be rude, that was exactly what she would do.

"Grates doesn't it," She mused aloud. "Knowing that I have presidential protection and you'll likely never know whatever it is that you want to," She flashed him a grin, which faltered slightly when she realized exactly how close to him that she was. _Deep breath._ She reminded herself, carefully schooling her blood pressure to keep her face from burning up. _He's a bratty jerk, remember that._

Daniel hit the button for the next floor down, and gestured the guards out, then hit the stop button the moment the doors closed. Leigh swallowed back fear, she was alone, with a strange man. They were in an extremely enclosed space, and he looked very, very angry. She could take him, she had no doubts about that, but there was undoubtedly a camera in here, and who knew what would happen if she assaulted one of their higher ups. "Why, oh please, explain to me, why you feel the need to bait me at every turn," His voice was tightly controlled, barely over a whisper, but it still sent a shiver down Leigh's spine. Maybe she'd pushed too far. "I'm supposed to be trying to make some form of peace with you, but you're making it damned difficult."

"I'm not the one who was hostile first," she forced past the lump in her throat. He'd moved closer, and for all that he was only a few inches taller, he was managing to tower over her very well. Oh gods he was close, much, much to close. She blushed, and dropped her eyes. "You've been glaring at me since I got on the elevator."

"Gee, I wonder why?" His tone was hard, and dripping sarcasm. "Let's think: you steal my briefcase-"

"That was any accident!" Leigh objected. Dr. Jackson just kept talking right on over her though.

"...Break into my work, generally make my life difficult, and then as if that's not enough to strain anyone's good will, you impersonate my **dead wife**! So forgive me if I'm a little put out!"

Dead? Dr. Jackson was a widower? It hadn't said a thing about any wife in his personnel file, much less a **dead **one! Something of her horror and confusion must have shown, because his face softened a little though his hands were still on either side of her against the elevator wall. "It didn't say," she murmured, heart falling. It hadn't been her intent to throw anyone's demons in their faces. "I only wanted you to throw you off kilter a bit, I didn't know who she was, just that you had a picture of her. I truly am sorry."

The elevators emergency phone rang then, and Dr. Jackson answered it. After a short conversation that shock kept her from noticing much of, the elevator was on its way down again. Wordlessly, she sank to the floor in a corner. Well, now she knew why he'd been so angry. _Deirdra wouldn't have cared. You shouldn't either_. She chided herself, but she couldn't not care. She'd been cruel, to someone who's life was just as devoted to keeping the world as safe as possible as hers was. Unpardonably cruel to a good person.

How many times had she heard rumors of her parents deaths? Done things that sickened her, terrified her? She knew well the feelings of loss, despair. It was all she knew lately it seemed, and she'd shared those feelings. Given them to another. In truth, there was no way she could imagine how much it must have hurt him to see someone who was lost to him. She'd avoided people, never put herself into the position to have to know. What she'd lost when there was only herself and her family had been well more than enough.

"What did you study?" He asked softly, not quite looking at her.

It took her a moment to realize what he was talking about, "Ancient civilizations and linguistics. My minor was biochemistry."

"Ancient civilizations?"

"You don't have to sound so surprised. I like learning." The elevator came to a stop then, and he offered her a hand up. She looked at it for a moment, then took it in hers, and accepted the assistance, feeling her cheeks heat a bit. He was being polite now, nicer, a little discomfort would be worth it if she could form something resembling a truce with him.

"Given what we know of you, I'd have thought military history would be more your speed than ancient civilizations." He said by way of explanation as she followed him down the hallway.

"Given what you know? What is that I wonder?"

"That would be telling. If you want answers, you're going to have to give us ours first."

The guards at the door they stopped outside of decided it for her, she shook her head lightly, not able to look at him. Despite their orders, she was still essential a prisoner. Information was the one thing that she really had on her side. The less they knew right now the better. It would make her harder to perdict and she could use that to her advantage. If they weren't going to trust her, then she couldn't afford to trust them.

"That would be telling," She murmured back at him, then she breezed past the guards, and shut the door in his face. Immediately on the other side, she sank down to the floor again, drawing her knees up to her chest, and placing her head down on them. This wasn't okay, the way she was feeling. She was stronger than this, braver, she wouldn't be brought down to her knees by a little stint behind enemy lines. She couldn't let herself be cowed by this, she had to find out Deirdra's secrets. It was absolutely vital that they never found out that they had been deceived.

It was her job to do the protecting now. Somehow she would get through this, somehow, she would get out. She had to believe that or there would be no hope. She could not fail, that wasn't an option, someone had made her life that much harder, and she would get out of here. She would find them, and she would destroy them. Of one thing she was absolutely certain, no matter the secrets that Deirdra kept, these people where not the ones who had created this set up. That meant that someone had lied to her. She didn't like lies, she was going to find the people that had orchestrated this whole mess, and she was going to destroy them. She could do this, she could get through, and she **would** make them pay. After all, it wouldn't be the first time.


	6. Pretenses

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

A/N: Okay, so here's chapter six. It's been rewritten.

Chapter Six: Pretense

* * *

Jack was waiting for him when Daniel returned to his lab, and from his expression, he wanted to know everything. "She didn't tell me anything." Jack's eyebrows rose. "What?"

"There are a few comments I could make right now, but for the sake of not throwing words back in your face, I'll refrain. What the hell was that?" The older man demanded. "It's not like you to blow up. What happened in there?"

"I lost my temper," Daniel retorted, rubbing at his eyes. It was all so soon, he was only just beginning to remember everything that had happened before he was Ascended, and to have Sha're thrown in his face that way... It had been to much. "She was just acting so smug, and I lost it." He dropped into the chair at his desk. "The worst part is that I think I actually scared her. How the Hell do you scare a hardened killer?"

"It is my belief that hardened killers fear death and dismemberment at least as much as any other," Teal'c voice said, and both of the other men looked up. He nodded an enigmatic greeting. "Major Carter has informed me that we are playing host to one who may have ties to the Trust. I do not believe this to be wise, and have come to speak with you on this matter."

"There's nothing we can do about it T," Jack ground out. "We have our orders, and they come straight from the president."

"Besides, she might not be working with the Trust," Daniel pointed out, and two heads turned in his direction. "Think about it, she kept talking about our government, how she had a deal with them. I think she may have believed that she was making an exchange with someone from our side. A legitimate part of our government. It wouldn't be outside of the norms for what we know."

Teal'c cocked his head, and Jack frowned for a moment. "You might be on to something there. Danny-boy," he looked to Teal'c "I need to talk to Carter, and Daniel here still looks like he could use some cooling down. I 'll get you up to speed on the way." Jack said as he headed out the door, Teal'c gave another nod, and went with Jack, leaving Daniel alone to his thoughts. Frightened, emerald, eyes kept intruding on them, and he gave up with a sigh. It was almost dinner time, and there was no telling how long it had been since She'd eaten. He may as well give diplomacy another try.

Leigh wasn't sure when exactly the tears started, only that it had been some time after she'd realized that she had no clue how she was going to get out of this. That had brought back memories of another seemingly hopeless situation. She'd made it out of that one, it was true. But at what cost? Thirteen was much to young to have to see all the things that she had. To have to do what she had done. The bad guys never gave you a choice though. It had been do or die. She'd done what she had to do. So why hadn't she been able to let it go in the past twelve years? A knock on her door, prompted a growl from Leigh, and she curled deeper into the blankets of her bed. She didn't want to talk to these people. Not now particularly, when there were still tear stains on her cheeks.

"Go away!" She yelled at the door. The knocking stopped, and for a moment she thought that her request had been heeded, then the door opened. "I told you to go away," she snapped.

"Yeah, well it's my turn to be annoying," Dr. Jackson said as she felt the bed beside her sink under his weight. "It's time for dinner."

"I'm not hungry," she growled, trying desperately to hold on to her anger. There was a man in her room, sitting on her bed, if dad ever found out about this, Dr. Jackson would likely end up dead. Probably in a painful fashion. "Just go away."

"No," He said simply. "I want to apologize, for the way I behaved on the elevator. I was out of line. There was almost no way you could have known about Sha're."Damn it, why was he having to be so nice all of a sudden? She was seriously lacking in experience with men that weren't military or trying to kill her.

"Apology accepted, will you go now?" She did her best to keep the desperation she was feeling from her voice. This was something she had no clue how to deal with. Butterflies began to flutter in her stomach as she began to panic. "I'm not hungry," she repeated.

"Would you please come out from under there?" The request was accompanied by an unexpected tugging on the blankets, and Leigh found herself face to face with her tormentor. She ducked her head, but it was to late. "What's this?" He asked, head cocking as he caught her chin with a frown. One finger brushing over her still damp cheek.

"Nothing," she snarled jerking her chin away from him and rolling to her feet.

"It looks an awful lot like you've been crying to me."

"Laughing," Leigh lied, back toward him. "I was laughing at you. You're all so damn gullible."

"Your not going to goad me this time," Dr. Jackson's voice was firm. "I won't let you." She stiffened as he put his hand gently on her shoulder. His eyes searched her face. "So please, just drop the pretenses, and the sarcasm. I can see through it, see through you."

Dear gods she hoped not. She couldn't be found out, still, with his hand on her shoulder it was hard to think. She jerked away, and fled to the other side of her room. "What pretenses?" She chuckled. "I've been no one but me. I honestly have no clue what you're talking about." _Believe me._ She begged. _Please, just believe me and go._

Dr. Jackson sighed, "Fine, if you want to be that way, there's nothing I can do about it. I'll be back in the morning, when it's time for breakfast." Leigh said nothing, and there was the sound of foot steps. "I'm right next door, if you change your mind."

"Don't count on it," She called after him. She turned just in time to see him flash her a grin, and close the door. When he stayed gone, she collapsed onto her bed with a relieved sigh. He was gone. She'd gotten rid of him, then the tears started all over again. The ache in her empty stomach didn't help anything, but the thought of knocking on his door, and admitting that she'd lied to him was too much. She was alone here, she'd made her choices. She couldn't just chicken out on them because it was lonely, or scary, or hard. She was an agent, this was what she did. For a moment, just a moment, the feel of a gentle hand on her shoulder flashed through her head. Why was he being so nice to her of a sudden. After she'd been so cruel? The tears came harder, and Leigh had soon sobbed herself to sleep.

* * *

Daniel knocked softly on the door to Jacks office, waiting for his friend to acknowledge him before entering the room. "Did Sam look into the records at NYU?" He asked, leaning against the back of a chair.

"Didn't see a point. Why do you ask?"

"Because something here doesn't add up," Daniel retorted. "She was crying just now. Not that she admitted to it. She tried to say she was laughing at us, but you don't get red and puffy like that from laughter." He shook his head, and heaved a heavy breath. "There's a pretense here somewhere, though I don't know where, or what. I think it's very important that we find out. Because something odd is going on."

"You're right," Sam said, coming through the door. "I looked into it anyway," She admitted ducking her head. "There are two McAllisters," She informed them. "General Deirdra McAllister and her sister, Leigh who I couldn't find a thing about after she graduated from college. We have no way of knowing which one we have here. My guess is that that figured into the presidents thinking."

"Yeah," Daniel agreed grimly, "I would think it might. The question is why did one of them disappear, and which one do we have?"

Jack just looked like he had a headache for a moment, then turned to Sam, "See what you can find out about these girls. We may have stepped into something we're not equipped to handle. God I hate spies."

A/N: So there is was. I want to know what you think.


	7. Discovery

Disclaimer: See chapter one

A/N: So here's chapter seven there was a whole blurb here before, but it's been rewritten so there's not telling how accurate that really is. Anyway, I hope that you all enjoy what I do with it.

Chapter Seven: Discovery

* * *

Daniel woke to a soft knocking on his door, and groaned when he saw the clock. Who was waking him up at five thirty in the morning? He waited a moment to see if the knocking would stop, but it didn't, and so he threw back the covers and headed to the door, not bothering to put a shirt on along the way. If it was an emergency they would wait, if it wasn't, then they'd just have to deal. Whoever it was had woken him up a full hour before he should be up, and a full two before he **had** to be up. Under the circumstances, putting a shirt on just wasn't the first of his priorities, no his first priority was to shut up that damned knocking. Combined with the early hour, it was making his head ache.

The face on the other side of the door didn't help much, though the sounds coming from her stomach made it very clear why she'd come. He considered shutting the door in her face, after all, if she'd just eaten dinner last night, she wouldn't have been starving at five thirty in the morning. He was just about to do so when her realized that she wasn't looking at him, and her face had turned quite red. It took him a moment longer to make out her low babbling.

"...Thought you'd be awake. I'll just ask one of my guards to show me where to eat. You should go back to sleep." She cut her self off then, and moved to dart away, he shot a hand out, and she froze.

"Just give me twenty minutes," He mumbled, that should be enough time for a quick shower and a shave. Jack wouldn't forgive him if he slept through her escape after all, and Jack was very good at making people sorry. Her stomach gave a plaintive growl, and he closed his eyes for a moment. "Actually, shower can wait. I'll just be a minute." He left the door open for her, should she chose to wait inside, and grabbed a clean shirt, and pulled on socks and boots. When he turned back around, she was nowhere to be seen, and the door was closed.

Not sure what to think, he opened the door, and there she was, right where he'd left her. She was still refusing to look at him, and Daniel felt a moment of wicked glee when he realized that the sight of a naked male torso had made her flee. That there was now another even more confusing piece of the puzzle to deal with, he completely ignored, seeing her so uncomfortable and off kilter was fully worth losing an hours worth of sleep. When they started walking, and her eyes never rose above his boots, however, it was more than a little annoying. "Was the view really that horrible?" He demanded, hoping to keep her off guard long enough for his sleep fogged mind to catch up with the opportunity it could create.

"No," She blurted, then picked up her pace so that she was slightly ahead of him.

A sense of victory, that he had her so off balance, so flustered. All he knew was that he had her in a position where she was vulnerable. If he handled it properly, he could find out more about her. "Then why won't you look at me?"

"You're behind me," She threw over her shoulder.

He stepped around in front of her, and stopped. Still her eyes didn't raise above his boots as she ducked around him. He caught her wrist lightly, and she flinched from his grip, face bright red, eyes wide. She looked thoroughly embarrassed, and more than a little uncertain. Daniel heaved a sigh, "Have you had a life, at all?" He asked, letting her pull away.

"My life, is none of your business," She whispered, there was that shield again, that thorny wall that tried so desperately to keep people away. That facade that it was becoming easier and easier to see through. Unless it was all just a ploy to make herself appear harmless, so that they'd let down their guard and she could escape. That wasn't going to happen though. Something was being hidden, there was some lie going on here. They were going to get to the bottom of it.

"This would go more quickly if you didn't keep thinking that way."

"How am I supposed to think Dr. Jackson?" She demanded, eyes looking on the verge of dampening. "Apparently, you know so much more about me than I do. So -so tell me how I'm supposed to think. W-what words you want to hear from my mouth."

"Daniel," he said simply, though he wasn't entirely sure if he was correcting her form of address, or answering her question. One thing was for sure though, the less he gave her to throw between them, the easier getting information from her would be. "my name is Daniel, and you know you still haven't told any of us yours."

"McAllister," she spit out as they got onto the elevator, and he pushed the button for level 21.

"Is there a first name that goes along with that?" He growled right back.

* * *

"You tell me," she challenged. Feeling her blood heat, at the challenge.

"Nope, I'm gonna need you to. So which is it, Leigh or Deirdra?" Dr. Jackson's question caught her so off guard that she nearly gaped at him.

"You already know the answer to that," She replied. How had they found out? Then she nearly groaned, it had been her own fault, she'd mentioned NYU after all. They would have both showed up there, in the records. Luckily their classes had mirrored each others at least as far as the official paperwork went. They'd done that for a reason. By that point in time, they were nearly interchangeable, their own people with their own strengths it was true, but while Leigh had realized the importance of remaining anonymous in their line of work, Deirdra had seemed to court discovery.

The issue had then become with her nature, Deirdra frightened people, so they refused, at times, to work with her. Leigh had wanted to disappear, get as far from the killing as possible, and so it had been Deirdra's idea. She made her sister disappear, and into being came her public face, the meet and greet girl who talked with the people that looked to hire them, set up and carried out deals. No one, outside of a select few, knew exactly who she was. Given their grasp of science, a few people had even thought that they were making deals with an extremely lifelike robot. Leigh had liked it that way, Deirdra had liked the field, the wanton destruction that sometimes came with it. Though she **was** partial to a harmless explosion or two, Leigh had preferred the intelligence side of things. They made the perfect team really. The elevator door opened, and Leigh realized that she'd been off in her own head the entire ride, and Dr Jackson was looking at her funny.

"What?" She asked, ducking her head, the image of his torso was still in her head. She couldn't imagine why, it wasn't the first time she'd seen one. She'd even seen nicer looking ones, hard as that was to remember at this moment, so close to him, to know that that trim, firm muscle was right beside her was making her nervous. **You could take him.** She reminded herself, not at all sure what was going on with her today.

"I asked if there was anything you wanted to share, you were off in your own little world there for a bit."

She just shook her head, suddenly having trouble finding the air to speak. It was because they were a step closer to finding out the deception that was going on under their noses, that was it, it had to be. She could think of no other reason to be feeling... well, it wasn't nerves exactly, but that was the closest thing she could think of, _What about that time in New York, that sword dealer?_ Her mental voice reminded her. _I was a kid_. she reminded it, and she'd stayed out of situations that may have made her feel that way again. It had been uncomfortable, humiliating. She never felt this way with clients, or other agents, never feared tripping over her own tongue. So what was happening to her now?

* * *

He knew he wasn't imagining it this time, not with the scent of coffee bringing his senses back up to speed. The slight blush on her cheeks, the way she just barely didn't meet his eyes. The flush that reddened her ears whenever her eyes fell on the vicinity of his upper body. She was shy. Somewhere under all those layers of agents calm, and professionalism that she constantly seemed to hide behind was a shy young woman who had no clue how to handle what was going on around her. He could use that, he hoped, shy he knew how to handle.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and look forward to reviews.


	8. Fishing

Disclaimer: See chapter one

A/N: Here it is people, chapter eight, all shiny and rewritten.

Chapter Eight: Fishing

* * *

"You know, you really should eat," Leigh looked up from the oatmeal she was toying with, and into the gentle smile on Dr. Jackson's face. It was the first time he'd spoken since he'd escorted her to this small table in the corner. It was set slightly apart from the others, and at first, she'd feared that he was going to try to interrogate her. Instead, he'd just sat across from her, sipping at coffee, appearing to be somewhere very far away. It had been a relief that he'd been so quiet. Made it easier to forget how off balance he left her.

"You're not," She remarked, taking a bite anyway.

"I, ate dinner last night," There was that gentle tone again, though there was a hint of chiding in it now. "Besides, I was starting to feel sorry for that poor oatmeal, it looked like you were trying to murder it."

"I'm not a murderer," She snapped, unthinking. Then she dropped her chin, hiding behind a curtain of hair. "It's just hard to eat with someone staring at me." Which was an out and out lie, she was just so tied up still. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this uncertain. From his expression, he knew it. Still, he didn't press, she was extremely grateful for that.

"Okay," Daniel said, drawing out the word, and raising his eyebrows slightly. "Bad joke." He took a large swallow of coffee, and sighed, then put his coffee cup down. "You don't have to be so guarded with me, I'm not here to hurt you." He leaned forward onto his elbows. "I really don't think you meant any harm," He touched her arm, a soft caress that was over as soon as it started. Still, her stomach muscles clenched, and she felt the urge to flee. "Help me prove it?"

"I'm not that oblivious Dr. Jackson. I realize what you're trying to do. It won't work."

"I distinctly remember asking you to call me Daniel."

"That won't be happening, Dr. Jackson. We are not friends, nor do I think, under the circumstances, that we are likely to become so anytime in the near future."

He sat back in his chair arms crossed over his chest. "It doesn't have to be this way."

"Yes, it does have to be this way," She corrected. "The things that you wish to know I can not, or will not tell you. In either case, you'll go on unknowing, and I'll go on being a prisoner." She pushed her mostly untouched oatmeal away. "I think I want to go to my room now."

"No," Daniel shook his head, face set. "If you're going to insist that you're a prisoner, then you're going to stay here, until I say you can go. Now eat," he pushed the bowl back at her.

"Bullying will get you no where Dr. Jackson, except on a fast train toward a black eye," She pushed the bowl away, and got to her feet.

"Resorting to threats now are we?" He got up too, "Look I want this to be over just as much as you do, but it can't be until you start co-operating. Do you think I like playing babysitter to a kid that has to much power and responsibility for her own good?"

"Watch your words Doctor," She cautioned, not at all sure how she felt about being insulted in such a manner. "I am no child, and there is only so much that I'm willing to take."

Dr. Jackson took a step toward her, and she retreated a step. She didn't trust herself with him close by. A slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips for just a moment, then vanished. "I don't think you'll do it," He said, backing her against the wall. Why was there no one in this room when she need them about? "But go on, if you're going to," He turned his head slightly, and patted his jaw, "Give me your best shot. Then when you're done proving how strong you are. How defenseless I am against you, we can sit down, and talk like civilized people."

"I don't find those terms acceptable," She murmured, brushing past him, and trying desperately to ignore what the brush of her arm against his side did to her insides. "See, they end in us talking, probably, about things I have no intention of talking about." She turned around, only to come face to face with him, and she couldn't help the flush that crept up her cheeks. "If you're going to fish Dr. Jackson, you might want to try baiting your hook," She ducked her head, and took a step backwards. "If you won't walk me back to my room, I'll find my own way." Then she fled.

* * *

"That girl is one of the most infuriatingly, stubborn people I have ever met," Daniel growled as he met Jack getting off the elevator. "Why can't she just realize that I'm trying to **help** her, and **let** me?"

"Good morning to you too," Jack grumbled. "Is it safe to assume you didn't get anything out of her?" Jack did a double take. "Or did you?"

"What?" Daniel blinked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Have you looked at yourself in a mirror this morning?"

Then it made sense, he hadn't showered, hadn't shaved, and was still in sweats. "Our guest, decided that she needed to come knocking on my door at five thirty this morning. Her stomach was making all kinds of plaintive noises, and I decided that that, was a little more important."

"Ah," Jack replied. "So where is she now?" He made a show of looking around.

"In her room, after barely eating. I don't understand her at all, she makes no sense to me. One minute, she's right there, in my face acting exactly like you would expect from what we know of Deirdra, and the next she's completely different. One of them is an act, I'm just not sure which one."

"This couldn't have waited until you were presentable?"

"No, it couldn't have. I don't know how much longer I can put up with her. Every time I start getting close to anything, she slams down another wall!"

"Daniel," Jack waited until he was looking at him, "Go take a shower, have some more coffee. Cool down, I'll try talking to your girl and see what I can come up with."

"She's not my-"

"Go," Jack's tone made it a command, and so Daniel went.

* * *

"She's not my girl," Daniel commented. Not bothering to look up, if it wasn't Jack, he would be very surprised.

"I'm sure she'd be glad to hear it, whoever she is," The voice caught him completely off guard, and his head whipped up. Sure enough, there was Leigh, dressed in borrowed fatigues, leaning against the door frame. "I got bored," she said, with a negligent shrug, "I had my guard bring me here."

"Why, pray tell, would you do that?" He asked, rubbing at his temple as he felt a headache coming on. "Do you get some form of glee out of tormenting me?"

"Have I been? I thought I was protecting my right to privacy," She pushed away from the door frame, and moved towards his desk. "The president has pardoned me, that should be all that you need to know."

"If only it were so simple," He sighed. "You broke in here, to retrieve technology that shouldn't exist, and because you won't talk to us, we have no way of knowing who you were intending to give it to. We can't just let you walk away."

"I have already told you who I was making the exchange with. Or at least who I thought I was making it with. I've told you what I was making the exchange for. What more do you need from me?" She sank into a chair across from him.

"Proof, if not of your story, at least of why we should trust you."

"Call your president, he's already told you, no doubt, that you aren't to treat me as a hostile. That means, that I am your friend. Do you need proof from friends?" Her tone was so even, so reasonable that it was hard to deny the question.

"We need the truth from everybody, and I really don't think you're telling it. I'm sorry, but I just can't believe that you aren't hiding something. None of us can. If you are telling the truth about who you thought you were dealing with, and you were wrong, then it's not safe for you out there. Because someone set you up."

"Do you think I haven't thought of that?" Her eyes were sad, but her tone remained even. "The only thing keeping me from doing something about it is that I'm stuck here. Just let me go, and you won't have to worry about them anymore. I promise you that. What they wanted to do with me I don't know, but I've been hunted enough not to let it continue."

Daniel felt his chest seize at the thought. "No," He told her as gently as he could. "We think we know who set this up, who you were dealing with, whether you knew it or not. We've dealt with them. It's not your job to take care of it. It's ours, any help you could give us would be appreciated, but it's gonna have to start with information."

"I can't," she closed her eyes, and ducked her head, taking a deep breath in the process. "Is there anything else that I can do around here. I don't do well with boredom."

"Until you talk, there's not much for you to do. I could try to find you some books to read, and there's always the gym, or basketball, if you can find anyone to play..."

"So, my options are talk or be useless huh? Forgive me, if I do my damnedest to find an option number three. Have a good day Dr. Jackson." She was out the door before he had a chance to respond, and he didn't bother trying to go after her, the changes that she had made to his translation notes were much too interesting, and they did make more sense. Though he had no clue how she'd managed to translate Ancient, a very old dialect at that.

"Yet another thing that will have to wait until she decides to talk," He muttered, turning his attention to other translations. What she'd changed made sense, but there were still many more questions than answers, and regardless of what else was happening, he did have a job to do.


	9. Bait

Disclaimer: See chapter one

A/N: Here we go, chapter nine rewritten.

Chapter Nine: Bait

* * *

A week, one whole week, and the only thing she'd had to do, was drills with the SF's and reading this damned book Dr. Jackson had given her. She was going insane. She threw the book down onto her bed, and headed for the door. They wanted answers, then fine, she could give them one or two without giving too much away. She ignored the guards that fell into step behind her, and to their credit they ignored her as much as possible too, that only lasted until she pushed the button for level 27.

"Ma'am, we're not supposed to let you onto that level," The shorter of her two guards said. She hadn't bothered trying to learn their names, they were never the same guards from day to day, not after she'd tried to make friends with the first two women they'd left her to. It would have helped with the boredom to have a couple people to talk to after all.

"Well, you'll have to stop me then," She informed the women, "Though I wouldn't suggest that you try. I'm only going to talk to your General, it wouldn't be worth it." She stepped off the elevator with a smile, and made her way to the General's office. To their credit, her guards kept from causing a stir, or letting one get started, and so she reached the slightly opened door without any trouble. Putting on her best puppy dog eyes, she knocked lightly on the door. She was here to negotiate, best to keep him in the best mood possible.

"Enter," The grandfatherly man called, not even looking up, and Leigh did as she'd been told, slipping through the door, he'd had it open, so she left it that way.

"I was hoping to speak with you sir," she said softly, and Hammond looked up at her. "I though perhaps that we could come to an agreement. My name, maybe one or two other less sensitive questions, in exchange for something productive to do." There, she'd phrased that nicely, how could he resist so reasonable an offer?

"You, are in no position to be making demands young lady," Hammond informed her, and Leigh felt her temper flash. He couldn't even have said it with a little heat?

"Why sir," she said, tone just as even and reasonable as his, "I didn't know you cared. It's almost enough to get me to reconsider leaving if you can't find something for me to do, but not quite." She smiled her sweetest smile, and watched blood suffuse the General's face, as a choking sound came from behind her. Leigh began to turn around, though she had a sneaking suspicion of who would be there already.

"Dr. Jackson," Gen. Hammond's voice stopped her, "Please, come in, and close the door behind you." The small room began to feel much to crowded to her as she heard the door close behind her. The General's eyes turned to her, "I will not tolerate insubordination," He informed her, "Feel glad that I'm not allowed to throw you back into the stockade. I can, however, have you confined to quarters, which is what I'm going to do. If you'll take her there, and see that she stays until she's ready to talk," The tone he used for Dr. Jackson made it an order, but the man nodded anyway, as if it was a request, and took her elbow, giving her a tug.

"Sir, please, the last time that I was confined to quarters, I nearly cut my cut my leg off on accident. I'll tell you anything you want to know that isn't privileged information, just please, please give me some useful task. I would prefer not to have to break out of here, I could end up hurting someone, which I have no wish to do, but I will not remain confined and useless." Damn it, she'd intended to play this cool, but she'd been unable to stop the desperation from creeping into her voice. The General was much better at fishing than Dr. Jackson had been, he actually used bait.

"I'm sure that if you are able to convince Dr. Jackson of your sincere change of heart, he can find something for you to do that would be more to your liking. We're done here." Then General Hammond went back to his paperwork. Shocked, and more than a little dismayed, Leigh allowed herself to be drawn along. She was going to be confined to quarters, and the only way out was Dr. Jackson, or escape, why couldn't she have better options?

* * *

To say that Daniel was annoyed with his charge would have been an understatement, and now, he was having to **really** play babysitter. The General's wording and tone had made it very clear that he was going to be just as stuck as she was. Absently, he wondered if this was a punishment for his lack of results in the past week as much as an interrogation tactic. She'd avoided him so thoroughly that he'd been hard pressed to even make sure she took meals. Anytime he'd tried to talk to her, she'd fled, after the first couple days, he'd given up. Now, he had no choice. Well, she'd given him a few good places to start, all that remained to be seen, was if she'd actually talk to him. With how docile she was at the moment, it seemed like a possibility, but then again, she could be planning that escape she'd talk about. "You said something about telling us your name?" He asked softly as he shut the door to her room.

"You know my terms," She murmured, dropping onto her bed, and opening the book he'd let her borrow randomly, sticking her nose into it, much to close to her eyes for her to actually be reading it.

"Yeah, well see we're going to be playing by my rules now," He informed her. "I tried to do things your way, but it hasn't gotten us anywhere, so we're not going anywhere until you start talking."

"I guess we're not going anywhere then," She returned, rolling onto her side so that her back was to him. He moved to the side of her bed, and snatched the book out of her hands.

"For the last week, you've been acting like a sulky child, that stops now, so get up and answer me!" He dragged her to her feet, and shook her.

"Do you really think you can keep me here? Drag information out of me?" She hung limply in his hands, smiling inanely. "Do you think better equipped people haven't tried?" She dropped her chin, shaking her head. "You're pathetic, really, you want a name? It won't do you any good, but my name is Leigh McAllister. I'm leaving now," She looked up into his face for a moment. "Don't try to stop me, or I'll have to hurt you."

"I guess you're gonna have to hurt me then," Daniel moved his hands to her wrists, Leigh moved before he could do anything else, and they landed on her bed as she pulled his legs out from under him. "I'm not letting you leave without a fight." He growled, rolling on top of her, and pinning her to the bed. He crashed to the floor about half a second later.

"Why would you do that to yourself, you don't stand a chance against me," She asked sitting up, but otherwise not moving.

"Because my personal safety comes after the welfare of my country, because you're behavior over the past week has pissed me off and I'm just itching for a reason to hit you, because I'm hoping that you won't hurt me anymore now then you did a week ago... Take your pick." He felt his irritation beginning to wane, and then it vanished as she collapsed back onto her bed.

"Ask your questions if you're going to. I don't promise any answers, but if you stay over there, you'll have better luck," She muttered.

"Why are you doing this? Why not just go, or is it that that was all just a bluff?" For some reason the answer to that particular question seemed very important to him.

"It wasn't a bluff, I just put myself in your shoes. I figure I can give this another day or two before I duck out, you know, come up with a plan that doesn't involve hurting anyone," Her voice was small as she continued. "I don't like hurting people."

"Then don't, just talk to me," He settled against the wall, giving her the space she seemed to need. "Answer a few questions, and we can figure this all out."

"As long as I give you the answers that you want?"

"As long as you're yourself, whoever that is. Over the last week I've seen glimpses of a hardhearted agent, a shy young woman, a complete and total bitch, and someone with xenophobia. All I want is the truth, I just want to know who you are. Everything else we can work on from there. That's how you build trust." He cocked his head to the side, as she rolled back onto hers. "You can start by showing me what you really look like," He paused for a moment. "Leigh."

"I just had to tell you didn't I? You can probably find out whatever it is that you want to know on your own, why waste my breath?" Her voice was carefully controlled, perhaps to carefully controlled. "It's not like you're going to let me go anyway. No matter what I say, you're not going to believe me. I should have just let this go from the beginning, let Deirdra handle it. The field was always her specialty anyway." She groaned, "You want the truth? Well here it is, put me behind a specialist, I can fine tune just about anything, but I can't work alone. I never really realized that before. I guess everyone else did though. Once, just once, I wanted to be the protector, I wanted to be the one looking after everyone else. I guess it's pretty clear how that one went." The bitterness, the self-hatred in her voice caught him. This was obviously something that she had been having issues with for a very long time.

"From where I'm sitting, it's going pretty well. It took a week for us to get your name out of you. That's not something to scoff at." So why exactly was he trying to comfort this person who had been a pain in his backside since she'd shown up here? For the life of him, he wasn't sure, but it felt like the right thing to do, like maybe, just maybe, he was getting close to the real person under all the facades, and the bluster. "You haven't said a thing that would make me think that you were doing this anything other than alone. Nor would we have caught you if you hadn't let us. What I don't get, is why you didn't just make the switch without any of us being the wiser until after you were gone. I don't doubt that you could have."

"But where would the challenge have been? It would have been so easy it wouldn't have been worth it. Besides, you'd have hunted me down then, and you'd have found Deirdra, not me. It was my bumble, there was no reason that she should pay for it." Leigh's hand flew out in a stopping gesture, and her voice turned icy. " Don't move."

Daniel froze, "I was just switching positions, my foot was falling asleep," He resettled himself. "Do I really make you so uncomfortable?"

"Yes, you do. So if you move again, you'd better be leaving." There was that prickliness again, she was shutting down, shutting him back out. He wasn't going to let her this time.

"Or what, you'll throw me to the floor again?" He demanded, rising right along with his ire. She was in no position to be telling him what to do. "I'm willing to admit that I don't understand you at all. So, why don't you explain to me, why you think that you can order me around."

"Because I could pound you into the floor!" She snarled, jumping to her feet.

Daniel moved forward until he was toe to toe with her. "Then why haven't you?" He asked voice low. "You've had your chances, but here you are, still confined, and I'm still on my feet. Which is it, are you lying about your ability, or are you just to softhearted?"

"Get out!" Leigh snarled angry tears forming in her eyes.

"No," He whispered. "I was ordered to see that you stayed in your room, I choose to do that from right here. You want me out of here, you'll have to throw me out."

"You, are the singularly most infuriating man I have ever met!" She turned on her heel, and threw herself onto her bed, throwing the book he'd dropped at him. "I'm done talking to you."

"Well, I guess we're in for a long day then. I'll be sitting against the door when you change your mind," He said rubbing at the smarting wound on his chest where she'd hit him with the book. He took it with him, it was one of his favorites, and it would give him something to do.

* * *

What the Hell was wrong with her? Why was she so flustered, for that matter why hadn't she just walked through him and out of the base. They knew she wasn't Deirdra now, if she fled they would be looking for her, not her sister. So why wasn't she leaving? What kept her here, in this bed? Why had she told him about her insecurity and why had she come so close to blabbering at him? She curled into a ball, and tried to block out the presence in her room. She wished he would just go, but it didn't look like he was going to go anywhere. Not until she'd told him whatever it was he wanted to know. She could be patient, out wait him. Still, he was the most infuriating man she'd ever met.

That, in and of itself disturbed her, as she had no clue why he got to her so badly. True, she had little experience with men outside of working relationships, and it had been years since the last time she'd been a hostage. Undoubtedly that was all that this was, nerves because she wasn't sure how to handle the situation. If she were going to be showing up to break her out, Deirdra would have done so already. That worried her too. What was keeping Deirdra from coming after her? It was completely out of character for her sister, unless someone was paying her to do so, and her sister knew that she was safe... Even then, for selfish reasons if no other, Deirdra would usually have come after her by now. Everything about this situation was just wrong. A silent tear slid down her cheek, she was alone, well and truly alone.

_Or not._ She reminded herself as she heard a shifting by the door followed by soft footsteps. The bed sagged, and butterflies started to rebel in her stomach. _Being alone would be better. _She curled farther in on herself as a warm hand came to rest on her shoulder. She bit her lip to stay silent, she wasn't going to talk to him.

"I realize that this is hard for you. Believe it or not, I've been in a similar position more than once. I understand what you're going through, but we really aren't going to hurt you, or anyone else if we aren't forced to. I can promise you that. I'm not asking for national secrets here, I just need to know a few things about what happened in New York, and what lead up to it."

He sounded so reasonable when he said that, that Leigh was hard pressed to keep her silence. The warmth of his hand didn't help any, and she found herself very much wanting to respond. This was outside of her scope of experience, so she had no choice but to fake it until she figured it out. It was harder to ignore the tears trickling from the corners of her eyes. Why was it that everything was forsaking her all at once?

"You're scared, and you're lonely. You don't know who, or what, to trust. You don't know how to handle yourself, but you don't have to. Just, be yourself, just relax, and talk to me," Dr. Jackson's hand moved from her shoulder, to gently caress her back, and she tensed.

"Get your hand off of me Dr. Jackson," she said, fighting desperately to keep her voice even.

"You're crying again," He sighed. "You've really got to start talking about whatever it is that's bothering you so much." His hand kept up it's caressing, and Leigh rolled away from him, coming to her feet on the opposite side of the bed, back toward him. "Please, trust me for a minute, and let me help you. I've been where are right now, I've been imprisoned, I've been tortured, almost any atrocity you could think of has been visited upon my body at one time or another. Anything you say to me that doesn't have a direct bearing on planetary security will not leave this room." His rambling monologue had masked the sounds of him coming toward her, and he was in front of her before she could respond. "Please," That was all he said, but she felt her eyes tearing again at the soft expression on his face. Then, he pulled her gently toward him, and she lost control of her body for a moment as training took over, and for the second time in the last hour, Dr. Jackson ended up on the floor, this time though, Leigh was shaking.

"I told you not to touch me," she breathed. "I'm sorry, but I told you not to touch me."

"Okay," he said, as he regained his breath, "No touching, I get it." He rubbed at his ribs, wincing, and dropped onto her bed. "Remind me not to egg you on ever again. You pack quite a punch. I'm still not going anywhere until you've told me what I need to know."

"So it's all about which of us is more stubborn then?" She dropped down beside him, not even trying to hide her tears anymore. "This should be interesting." She couldn't help but give a damp chuckle. "You know, if I was Deirdra, you'd all be dead two or three times over by now. Either that or well," She cut herself off blushing. "We're polar opposites, almost, my sister and me. Do you have any siblings Dr. Jackson?"

"No, and it's Daniel, please, grant me that much at least?"

"Will you go away if I do?" She asked, hopeful.

He chuckled. " No," He said smiling over at her, he started to lift his hand toward her cheek, but stopped himself. "For that you'll have to tell me about what happened in New York. Who you though you were meeting, what your agreement was, how you got in touch with them."

"That's all you want to know?" Well, that wasn't so bad really, she could tell him that without telling him anything that he shouldn't know. After all, she didn't know much about it that they didn't already. "That's easy. I thought I was meeting with some faction of the US government. They called themselves the NID, which checked out, we looked into it, we always do. We're not fond of liars they don't generally last long. The agreement was for the prototype you have, and the production notes that you also have, in exchange, we were going to get Naquadria. As for getting in touch, they did that, how they found out about us I don't know, but they insisted that I be the one to make the exchange. That's not uncommon, so we didn't question it, Deirdra's very dangerous, unpredictable." She dropped her head into her hands. "That's all I can tell you."

"What were you going to use the Naquadria for, I mean you knew it was unstable, right?"

"We knew, we just thought that maybe with a little patience, we could stabilize it. We're good at things like that when we work together. As for what we were going to do with it," She shrugged. "That doesn't really matter, but if you must know, containment."

His gaze sharpened just a little, and curiosity filled his eyes. "What are you intending to contain?"

"Nothing that would cause anyone harm. That's all that I'm going to tell you on that matter." She laid back on the bed, closing her eyes. "You have your answers, will go now?"

"Not just yet," She felt the bed sink beside her, and glanced over to see him on his side, propped up on his elbow. "I still haven't gotten you to say my name," He smiled, a charming little smile that made her feel much too warm. What was it about Dr. Jackson that did this to her? How could he manage to tie her stomach into knots the way he did? It was worse with him than with other men, though she had no doubt that had something to do with whatever it was that made him so easy to talk to.

"That won't be happening," She closed her eyes again, and threw her arm over them. "We've already had that conversation Dr. Jackson."

"Yes, we did, I remember it very well, but that was before we were going to work together."

"What?" She dropped her arm, and cast him the most incredulous look she knew how.

"Well, you want to catch the people who set you up, we want to catch the people who set you up, and since I have no real reason to assume that you're lying, then we're on the same side. So, it makes sense that we work together, doesn't it?"

"Do I have any chance of doing this on my own?"

"We're not gonna let you go until we've caught them. There's still the possibility of danger to you if we do. That's discounting the possibility that you're lying and could set us up if we let you go."

* * *

She'd covered her face again. He really hated when she did that, she was hard enough to read when he could see it. He would give anything to know what was going on in her head right now. Why she wouldn't just say his name. Was that so much to ask? Apparently it was, as was asking that she work with them, it seemed. Still, whoever it was who'd set her up, The Trust posing as the NID most likely, had asked for her specifically, that had to count for something._ Like maybe they were after her all along._ The thought was a frightening one, he didn't like that is was stuck in his head, but it was, and it had merit. It would have made sense. He got to his feet, lounging around wasn't getting him anywhere, time to try a different tactic.

"If you consent to work with us, I can talk to General Hammond, about finding you something to do in the meantime. If you co-operate, he'll be more likely to grant you your wish."

"Does that mean that I have to use your first name? Because that's not going to happen Dr. Jackson."

"I'm starting to realize that," He muttered ruefully. "So, you gonna be okay until lunch?"

"I don't intend to go on a mad killing spree if that's what you mean." She rolled onto her stomach. "You're not going to succeed you know, I won't let you."

"Succeed at what?"

"Whatever it is that you're trying to do to me. I won't let you do it, so go, and talk to your general, tell him that I'm on board. If it'll get me something to do without hurting good people I'll act as **bait** if it comes right down to it. Just know that if I get my hands on these people first they may well find themselves **very** dead."

There was that hardhearted agent again. The one face he didn't believe in for a moment, or he hadn't until now. Now he wasn't sure what to make of it, if it was a conditional thing, or something that she kept hidden. Or if maybe, just maybe it was a defensive mechanism. "If it's necessary, but don't forget we need to talk to them or we'll never get this all figured out."

"Talk is over rated. So long as I know who I'm up against, all I need is a computer to give you all the information you could ever need, and then some," There was a tone to her voice that told him there was a story there somewhere, an unhappy one. Now wasn't the time however, he'd gotten everything out of her that he was going to for now. "Go talk to your general. I'll still be here when lunch comes around. I can play it your way for a little longer at least."

He didn't know how to respond to that, so he just went on his way. Hammond was, thankfully, in his office when he got there, and he knocked lightly on the door. "It's like we thought it was." He said when the General acknowledged him. "The Trust tried to set something up with her. I think they may have been trying to get her. She's willing to help in any way she can, including acting as bait as long as she's allowed to do something useful in the meantime."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Get that girl doing something to do, and get to planning. We'll talk again in one weeks time, be ready by then." To be so terse and short, he must really be under pressure by the pentagon to get this thing done...

"We'll be ready," He promised. "Oh, and sir, it's Leigh McAllister that's in custody."

The General breathed out a relieved sigh. "Well, that's good at least. The other one is known for her propensity to make things explode. I'll speak with the British, see what I can find out. Keep me updated Dr. Jackson."

"Will do," He promised, absently. After all, he needed to come up with something for Leigh to do with her time, something that wouldn't be a liability but that would keep her busy and feeling useful. That was easier said then done. Still, he had a little time to figure it out. "Assuming we live through lunch," He muttered under his breath as he boarded the elevator. It was going to be a long day.

A/N: So there it is. Hope you liked chapter nine and I look forward to hearing your thoughts. : )


	10. A Truce of Sorts

Disclaimer: See chapter one

A/N: Hey everyone, here's chapter ten, rewritten.

Chapter Ten: A Truce of Sorts

* * *

"You mean I actually get to do something besides just sit here and read that damned book over and over again?" Leigh was much to ecstatic to pay any attention to the butterflies in her stomach that had first made an appearance when she let Dr. Jackson into her room. Finally, she was going to get to do something without having to run from imprisonment for doing it.

"I'm pretty sure that that's what I just said," He remarked with a bemused smile. "Sorry, if I wasn't clear enough for you."

Leigh couldn't stop a goofy grin from crossing her face. She was gonna get to do something useful. She was going to get to help. This was dream come true really, not that her current dreams were all that lofty. But still, this man had gone to bat for her, gotten her a piece of freedom she hadn't managed to get for herself. She threw her arms around his waist with a small squeal, only to drop her arms the moment that she realized what she'd done, she never hugged anyone she wasn't related to. She backed away, blushing all the harder as she registered the slight resistance that told her she'd been hugged back. "Sorry, I- I don't know what I was thinking," She stuttered, then bit her lip, and stared at her feet, regaining her composure with effort. "Thank you," She finally manged, glancing up to meet his eyes. "I appreciate very much what you've done for me, Dr. Jackson. You've shown me a great kindness. I won't forget it."

"Yet still it's Dr. Jackson," He deadpanned, cocking his head.

"How many times do I have to remind you that it will always be Dr. Jackson?" She forced an embarrassed chuckle. "In a moment of child-like exuberance and gratitude I forgot myself. That is more, not less of a reason to remember who you are."

"Apparently at least one more." He leaned against her door frame. "I am curious though about who exactly you see me as." His face was a mask of tolerant amusement, yet he'd crossed his arms over his chest. He was baiting her.

She knew she should ignore him, but she wasn't going to, not when he'd given her an opening like that. Not when she was still angry, frustrated, embarrassed by her conduct. "Dr. Daniel Jackson, Head of the Archeological Department, and a member of SG-1. More recently; a thorn in my side, the savior of my sanity, my captor, need the list go on? I've plenty of ammunition to make it longer."

"No, that's long enough," Why did he look triumphant? What had she said? "I got my first name and compliments out of, even if they were a bit roundabout. I think I'll stop while I'm ahead."

The murmur had her stiffening in frustration. She didn't recall complimenting him. She'd called him a savior to her sanity true, but that was a simple statement of fact, and she really did have no intention of forgetting what he had done for her. Still, she didn't recall anything else even remotely complimentary passing her lips, and in her opinion saying his full name counted for nothing. "You are the most annoying man that I have ever met!"

"If you really believe that, you haven't spent nearly enough time with Jack," He chuckled, pushing away from the door frame. "Of course since he's not sporting any new bruises, I kinda figured as much."

Oh, his nerve. That had been an accident, and he bloody well knew it. "You mentioned lunch," She said as sweetly as she could mange. He'd managed to pull her into a ready made trap once already, she didn't want to chance another.

He feigned a surprised expression, "I wouldn't have thought you'd want to go to lunch with the most annoying man you knew."

"I don't. What I'd really like to do is tie you up and gag you, even if your clothes were the only things to work with! I just don't see that going over well with your superiors, so I'm trying to play nice." She growled, not fully conscious of exactly what she'd said until she noticed the widening grin on Dr. Jackson's face. The eyebrows raising to new heights on his forehead didn't hurt either.

"And I thought you were shy," He ducked his head, biting at his lip. "Please, try. I think it might be interesting enough seeing how you mange without looking at me or touching me to be worth the discomfort." He shook his head slightly, and Leigh didn't miss the tremor of mirth that passed through his body as he dropped back against the door frame again.

"Ta suil agam go sruthan tu i ifreann," She growled, he was a linguist, let him figure that one out. She was going to lunch, a well muscled arm blocked her path, and she looked up into Dr. Jackson's eyes, eyebrows raising in challenge.

"Bheith ann, a rinneadh go," He replied smoothly, and Leigh spluttered. She'd certainly never expected him to know that particular language, few enough people in Ireland did. "So, have we established that I'm qualified for my position yet, or do you feel the need to test my knowledge of other languages?" His face was a mask of innocent curiosity, and his eyes glittered with mischief. His arm remained in her path, she could break it, of course, but that would just get her confined again.

"Who would I be to question if you were qualified for your position?" She replied instead, trying desperately to take hold of her temper, and remember that he'd done a very kind thing for her. "After all **Dr**_._ Jackson your title should be proof enough."

"Is that so?" A teasing grin played across his lips, and she nodded, defiant. "Then you, **Leigh** said something very naught, for no real reason."

No real reason? Oh he was infuriating, very, **very** annoying. It would be so easy to just remove his arm from her way, well, it would have been if he hadn't turned the full power of those laughing blue eyes of his on her. Why had she put herself so close to him? What had she been thinking? _You weren't_. She reminded herself ruefully. Now it was too late, she was toe to toe with him, and her stomach very much wanted the food it was being denied. Those jigs it was dancing after all had to be hunger nothing else could explain them. "What I say is my own concern," She manged after a moment.

"Usually, yes, but you said it to me, which makes it my concern," the light of mischief was much brighter now. What was he playing at? "I would appreciate an apology."

He wanted her to apologize for her "unprovoked" bout of cursing did he? "Why would I apologize?"

"Because, I'm the one who's in charge of deciding what you get to do." Oh yes, that was definitely wicked humor, she was damned sure she knew where this was going, and she felt the weight of impending doom.

"You're right," She conceded. "I said something very naughty, and I'm sorry you understood it. I hadn't expected you to."

That got a chuckle. "You're gonna have to do better than that."

"I most humbly beg your forgiveness for my improper use of the Irish language, Dr. Jackson. Please accept my most gracious apologies," She put as much sincerity behind the pretty words as she could, who'd have thought she'd ever use anything she'd learned in that six month stint in finishing school her mother had insisted on?

"How are you at taking dictation?" Leigh felt herself paling as she searched his face. He looked serious. Would he really do that to her? A fate worse than death like that...

"I'm sorry, Daniel," She forced out the words she knew that he really wished to hear. Anything was better than taking dictation. A finger under her chin kept her from dropping her eyes, and her cheeks heated.

"Was that really so hard?" His voice was gentle, and there was that soft expression again, the one that had nearly been her undoing earlier. She closed her eyes against it, and nodded her head. Dr. Jackson sighed. "I would like to think that we could become friends," His voice was tentative as he continued. "I think there's a person well worth getting to know lurking in somewhere in that fortress of yours. But those barriers that you put around yourself are very sturdy, so the only way I'm gonna know, is if you let me in. I realize that is asking a **lot** of you, but please understand that no who is at all important is going to think any less of you because of whatever you built those defenses to hide from. We all have demons, they come with the job," He sighed again. "Just something to think about." His hand dropped away from her face. "Sam will probably want to confiscate you to explain those gadgets of yours to her, if you're interested."

"Thank you," she whispered, quick stepping backwards, and opening her eyes. "I mean it Daniel," His name cam more easily from her lips this time. "Thank you, for everything. Just don't get used to me using your name."

"I'll keep that in mind," He smiled a friendly smile, "And you're very welcome." He dropped his hand to the doorknob, but didn't open it. She gave him a questioning look, and he spoke again. "If you ever need to talk about anything, or if you just need a shoulder to lean on, or cry on-"

"I know where-"

"I mean it Leigh. I want you to promise that if things start feeling like they're out of hand, no matter what they are, especially if they involve me, or anyone that you meet here, that you'll talk to me. You can't go on alone like this forever, it's not healthy. Everybody needs people, so please, promise me that you'll come to me if things start getting out of control, or if you just don't want to be alone."

The gesture was touching, very touching, but everything inside of her told Leigh not to trust it. He was a male, a virtual stranger. She couldn't just accept this. It made no sense. "Why do you care?"

"Because I get the distinct impression that no one has before. Not about you, not about any of the parts that matter. Because, I know in there somewhere is some worth giving a damn about. I don't presume to know what you've been through, but I'd like to, we all would. That starts with you talking to me, or whoever you feel most comfortable talking to."

"And if I don't feel comfortable talking to anyone?" She threw the words out like a shield. Comfortable or no, talking to him was much too easy.

"I'll just have to try harder then won't I?" He opened the door then, effectively cutting off that very personal conversation.. "Lady's first."

Leigh went, feeling a faint tremor of fear. If he tried any harder, there would be little denying him. Everything about Dr. Jackson already screamed _Confide in me_ already. Maybe she should give him some pittance to back him off a bit. Then again that could just make him more curious and as such determined. Great, now he was tying her mind **and** her stomach up in knots. What was she going to do with him?

_Hunger._ She tried to tell herself. _Hunger is what has your stomach rebelling._ Well, what about her mind then? That had to have some cause. _I'm going insane, from captivity._ Yep, that had to be it. Insanity was the only reasonable explanation. These thoughts brought her to the commissary doors, lost deeply in thought. So deeply in fact that Dr. Jackson had to tug her in front of him to keep her from running someone down.

This may not have been so horrible, but her back brushed against his front in the process, and her whole body tingled. The tingling would have been pleasant, if it wasn't so unnerving. Well, she couldn't very well put him onto the the floor in so public a place, she whirled on him instead, eyes flashing. "I hate you!" She hissed, only loud enough for him to hear, or so she hoped.

Dr. Jackson smiled, and rested his arm on her shoulders, dragging her along with him as he ducked his head to whisper, "It's a start," Into her ear.

Leigh shrugged off his arm with a glare. "The start of a list of every time I should have bruised you maybe."

"All these idle threats of yours are starting to amuse me."

Leigh opened her mouth, but closed it biting her lip instead. He was right. For all that she may want to at times, she wasn't going to really hurt him, not on purpose, even if he was entirely infuriating. The threats were idle, and would remain so unless she chose to make them otherwise, she just had no clue how he'd managed to see through her. Did he think that he'd figured her out then? She couldn't let that happen, she wouldn't. He never saw the back hand that caught him in the solar plexus coming.

"Oh, did I do that?" She widened her eyes. "So sorry Dr. Jackson I must not have realized how close you were. So clumsy of me." Then she flounced away toward the food in her best imitation of a clueless cheer moron._ Let him figure that one out._ She smirked. Maybe he wasn't quite so bad after all, he had taken that blow rather well after all. Oh well, there was food, and she was hungry, Dr. Jackson could wait.

* * *

Note on Irish Gaelic: The translations came from google translations, so if you happen to know the language, and something is off, please let me know so that I can correct it.

Ta suil agam go sruthan tu i ifreann : I hope you burn in... we all know how that ends.

Bheith ann, a rinneadh go : Been here, done that

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, as always, all feedback is appreciated, and thank you for reading. : )


	11. Helpless

Disclaimer: See chapter one

A/N: I'm not at all happy with the way this chapter originally turned out. It was not the best idea that I ever had so here's where the real rewriting begins. I hope that you enjoy.

Chapter Eleven: Helpless

* * *

Leigh had just begun to eat when another plate joined hers on the table. She would recognize that had anywhere, and she heaved an inward sigh that he still chose to sit with her. She'd thought that she'd made her preference on matters very clear. That she'd memorized every visible aspect of Dr. Jackson didn't bare thinking about. When or why she'd done so was not anything that bore thinking on. Particularly when he left her so prickly that she wanted to scream. She shoved her sandwich into her mouth and cocked her eye brows at him.

"You'll have to hit me harder than that to get rid of me," Was his only response as he settled himself in a chair across from her. "A lot harder. If you were trying to convince me that I should fear your ability to hurt me, you've failed miserably. You could have gotten away with a little more force than that." He sipped at a cup, eyes squarely on hers. He was challenging her.

"Maybe I just want to keep you off balance," She suggested. "After all, who knows how long I'll be able to stand this place? If you somehow managed to get me all figured out, it would be bad for escape attempts." She shrugged. "Or I really could just hate you that much. You have been persistently dogging me about things that are much better left in the dark."

"Is that what you call wanting to get to know you?" He asked, face turning entirely serious. "I get that you have stuff you'd rather forget, but I really don't think that you hate me. I have a theory, feel free to correct it if it's-" A loud alarm sounded, as red signal light started to flash. Leigh couldn't remember that last time that she'd been so grateful for some kind of catastrophe. There was a feeling deep in her gut that told her that she wouldn't like his theory in the least.

"Unscheduled off world activation," A voice called over the loud speaker as Daniel was rising to his feet. She couldn't help but admire the way that he moved, ready for action.

"If I told you to stay here would you?" He asked, voice raised to talk over the sirens. Something in her face must have told him the answer to that question, because he just shook his head. "Come on if you're coming," He called over his shoulder as he headed towards the elevator. Leigh didn't have to be asked twice, and caught up by the time he was at the commissary doors. There was no telling if she'd ever get a chance like this one again. She wasn't passing it up.

The sirens had stopped by the time the elevator reached it's destination, and Colonel O'Neill met them at the elevator. He didn't look happy, but he didn't tell her to leave either so Leigh stayed right where she eyes passed over her as he took a place beside Dr. Jackson.

"I was just about to come find you," The Colonel said. "There's been an incident on P9X732. They need us. The briefs in five," O'Neill's eyes turned to her, he was really unhappy about something. "Hammond wants you there too." Well, that would explain it. "Against my better judgment, he seems to think that your expertise will make you an asset to us. You get to show us what you've got. Don't screw up."

_My expertise?_ They knew who she was, and with enough digging with the British, they would have been able to find out a few things at least. Fear at what this all meant, and anger at the man that had been so rude battled for control. If they needed her expertise, then someone was in a very bad position.

* * *

Daniel felt Leigh tense up beside him, and gave her hand a quick, hard squeeze in warning. He didn't like Jack's tone either, but Jack wouldn't be in a mood like this unless the situation was bad. The last thing anyone needed was for there to be a fight right now. Much to his surprise, Daniel got a squeeze back, and Leigh didn't let go. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She looked like she wasn't sure if she should be angry, or terrified. There were few things he wouldn't have given up at that moment to know what was going on in her head. Then she let go, and it was all tucked back away again. Nothing but the cool, tightly controlled facade.

They entered the briefing room, and took seats, Leigh surprising him yet again by sitting by his side. Her eyes stayed focused on her hands as they clenched and unclenched. It was the only sign that she wasn't as impassive as she wanted them all to believe. Jack hadn't accompanied them, heading off to find the others no doubt. "He didn't mean to insult you. Jack's just very blunt, and if it something extremely terrible hasn't happened, then we wouldn't be meeting on such short notice."

"Don't think that I don't know that. At least the part with the catastrophic event. No one ever thinks that they need my expertise without one," She laid her hands out flat on the table, and closed her eyes. "Usually they're right." She folded her arms in front of her on the table, and she laid her head down on them. "I'll do what I can to help, but I'm not sure what I'll be able to do that a group of trained military personnel can't."

"I assume you mean besides become invisible," Came a caustic voice near the door as Jack entered the room. "Because we still haven't figured out how to do that."

"Jack," Daniel spoke up this time. There was really no reason at all for him to be riling Leigh's feathers so much. He was upset that she was going with them, that made sense, but enough was enough. "Now's really not the time for this little vendetta of yours."

"No," Leigh broke in, rising to her feet. "Let him say what he has to say. After all, you've saved the world more times than I care to think about it needing to be saved. What am I but an insignificant little nothing that somehow managed to assist in the creation of a device none of you can even begin to imagine. After all, you had to work for every little thing, how could someone with something inside her that helps her do her job compare? What would I be without my cloak, or my nanites? I know how to take orders," She assured, eyes on Jack's. "You don't have to fear that I'll be insubordinate Colonel. I know first hand how annoying that can be on the battlefield."

"That's enough people. We've got men to save," Hammond's voice proceeded him and the rest of SG-1 into the briefing room. "Whatever personal issues the two of you may have, I strongly suggest that you leave them at the door. We have two teams that have gone AWOL on an uninhabited planet, and we're very damn well going to find out why." So it was that the briefing began.

* * *

_I can't do this. _ Leigh thought with desperation as she stood in front of the stargate. She couldn't walk through this ring of water and go to another planet. Couldn't find the lost people and bring them home. _Not without Deirdra, not without a computer._ She started to turn back, but a strong chest blocked her way, and a shiver went down her spine.

"I know that it's frightening the first time through," Dr. Jackson whispered into her ear. Another shiver went up her spine. "You wanted to be useful, let's go."

"Oh, just shove her through," Jack groused from behind them. That prompted Leigh forward as nothing else would have. If she was going to step into another planet, she was most definitely going to do it on her own power. The sensation was like nothing that she'd ever felt before, and then she was stumbling to her knees on the other side. She was cold, and nauseous and it was all that she could do to roll out of the way so that no one would step on her.

"Are you okay?" Daniel sounded much to well as he came out on to the platform and knelt beside her. "It's always hardest the first time," He assured her as he helped her to her feet. "I'm not sure if it's the being taken apart of the being put together, but it takes some getting used to." Thankfully, she was on her feet and feeling a little better before the Colonel and the rest came through the gate. She really didn't think that she could take another verbal beating. Not now. Then she caught a glimpse of the view, and all other thoughts left her mind.

They were on the edge of cliff, perhaps a hundred feet or so from a sheer drop off, and the sky was amazing. She couldn't remember having seen the one back home so blue. There was the sound of falling water in the near distance, and Leigh closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in the fresh pollution free air. This place was heaven.

"Maybe they just decided that they liked it here too much to leave," Leigh called over her shoulder. They were gathering, and she knew she should too, there was already so much tension in the air. She really didn't want to. She had been at the mission brief, she knew what she was supposed to be doing. Right now, it seemed like her time would be better spent enjoying this wonderful view before she was forced underground yet again. That's where they were going to go, underground. Thankfully nothing had been mentioned of her past exploits in the briefing, but she had little doubt that her being her had to do with her countless hours spent in recon and retrieval. There was something that they hadn't been told, she was sure. There usually was when she was involved.

She walked to the edge of the cliff, and sat down taking in the sea of trees that she could see in the distance. The sprawling prairies. There was a gorgeous waterfall just below her and to her right. She could imagine living here. Staying here for the rest of eternity, it would be nice. With no one else around there would be nothing but peace, and quiet._ It would be very lonely._ Where that thought came from Leigh wasn't sure. Loneliness was something that she'd always felt most keenly when surrounded by people. She didn't see how somewhere to beautiful where simple survival would be her only goal would be lonely.

"Can we stay here for a few more minutes?" She asked as she heard footsteps coming up behind her. She glanced over to see Dr. Jackson, not that she was surprised. He seemed to be the only one in the group the even remotely trusted her. "It's pretty, I like it here."

"We really need to get going," His voice was apologetic. "There's not telling what might be happening to the missing teams."

"I know," She murmured. "I just..." She stopped herself with a shake of her head, and got to her feet carefully. There was no need to let Dr. Jackson in on her innermost desires. "What's that?" She asked frowning as a deep rumbling came to her ears. Then the ground began to buck and shake around them. Leigh grabbed for Daniel as she threw herself away from the edge of the cliff. She caught him, and then together they fell, and kept falling. Then they hit water, hard, and it was all that she could to keep treading. All around her was dark, cold. Frantically she reached out for Daniel, and caught another hand flailing just like hers had been. Together they made it to an outcropping and dragged themselves onto it coughing and spluttering, and completely helpless.


	12. Going Home?

A/N: So, here's the rewrite, I hope you all enjoy.

Chapter 12: Going Home?

* * *

It was dark and cold, but the sounds of falling debris had long since ceased. He couldn't see, and he doubted his glasses, lost in the fall, would have been any help in the matter. He was in pain, but experience told him it wasn't as bad as it could have been. At worst he had a concussion, maybe some fractured ribs, lots of bruises. A quick inventory told him that he had no broken bones, nor did it feel like he was bleeding, but still he smelled blood. That's when Daniel's fogged brain remembered that he wasn't down here alone. The limp body under him took on the form of a woman, a woman that wasn't moving.

"Leigh," He called, pushing himself up only to nearly fall back over as a wave of dizziness took him. "Leigh, wake up! Talk to me!" Finally gaining his knees, and sitting back on his heels, he reached out to feel for a pulse, some sign on life. A weak hand caught his before it reached her, and Leigh's eyes slitted open.

"I hurt," The words came out a soft whimper. "I'm sorry, it's all my fault, if I'd just stayed with the group," She ran out of breath then, and had to stop to take one.

"It was an accident, a natural disaster, you couldn't have known what was going to happen," He corrected. "You didn't do anything that lots of other people haven't their first time off world."

"I should have known better," She objected. "I messed up. The Colonel was right, I had no right being here, and now you're hurt." She stopped again, and started to sit up grimacing in pain the entire way. Daniel helped her upright, and braced her once she was up.

"He was wrong, and you need to keep quiet. Rest, I'll get you out of here." Not sure what else to do, he reached for his radio.

"Jackson, you alright?" Jacks voice came from the radios speaker before he could start his own transmission.

"You have no clue how glad I am to hear your voice," He replied. "I'm alright, but Leigh wasn't so lucky. We're stuck in a cave in, I don't know if there's a way out, I can't see anything. Please tell me you have better news."

"I'm afraid not. The collapse cut us off from the gate. Carter and I are fine, but we can't get to you right now, the ground up here isn't too stable. Try and find a way out, but be careful, keep in touch, we'll try see if there's anyway we can possibly get to you or the gate from another angle. McAllister," Leigh moved to push the button to talk, and Daniel did it for her.

"I know Colonel, I messed up."

"I was just gonna say don't you die on me kid. I don't want to be the one that has to explain to your sister that you died under my watch." That got a faint chuckle from her, followed by a groan and a coughing fit.

"We'll do our best," Daniel promised, reaching for a canteen that was no longer there.

* * *

This was bad, she could only remember feeling like this once before, and that had been when she'd been near dead from blood loss. Her head was fuzzy, every muscle in her body was on fire. She could move everything though, she'd checked that, it just hurt. Breathing was more difficult than she'd ever remembered it being. Even with the help that all of her technology was giving her, there was a probability that she wouldn't make it through this, and she knew it. After all, tiny little nanites could only do so much, they'd been programed to keep her and her sister alive, but she'd never thought that they'd go through so much damage all at once. There weren't nearly enough of them in her system to fix this with any amount of speed. She was just going to slow Daniel down, be a drain on his resources, and she was responsible. She'd already caused him injury, she wouldn't cause his death as well.

"I'm sorry Daniel," She whispered, turning herself to look at his face, there was just barely enough light for her to see the faintest out lines of his features. "I don't hate you. Please, get yourself out of here. I'll be fine until you can get help."

"No," He only said the one word, but it was very firm, and then she was propped up against a rock, and he moved away from her. "You wouldn't happen to still have your flashlight would you?"

She checked her pockets, her pack long since lost, and came up with nothing. "No," She admitted, eyes scanning everywhere, after all, there was a little light in here, even if it was faint, it had to be coming from somewhere. "There," She said, trying to point as she saw a lighter spot in the near distance, but it hurt, and the movement cut itself off in a moan. She drew in a deep breath, and used words instead. "My nine o'clock, it looks lighter over there, I would check." She closed her eyes then, and collapsed against the rock behind her. "I'm gonna rest here." She murmured.

"I'll be right back," He promised. Then she was alone, in the dark with her thoughts. It was cold in here, really cold, and with all the wet her standard issue fatigues weren't doing a whole lot to keep her warm, not when moving hurt too much to contemplate. There was nothing she could do about that. She started to shiver, and convinced that she was going to die here alone, her mind began to play back over everything that she had done, all of the mistakes that she'd made that had brought her here. Tears started to fall down her cheeks scalding them as it became even harder to draw breath. She started to cough, and the smell of blood came stronger into the air.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed as someone approached her. In her mind she could see him. The man that had kidnapped her and her sister when they'd been thirteen year old girls. His head was missing, and there was gore everywhere, just like there had been that day. The day she'd killed a man, the day she'd cemented her fate. All because she hadn't told her parents. All because she'd listened to her sister. "I didn't mean to kill you. It was an accident. I was a kid, I didn't know any better! I was scared, and I miscalculated. I didn't mean to kill you. I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry."

"Ssshhhhh," The voice was low, calming. "I know you didn't mean to. I know it was an accident," The voice was full of concern. She was caught up in a warm strong vice, and she cried into it. "It'll be okay, just rest. I found a way out, the others will be here soon. You'll be home soon."

"Not home," She objected, holding on to one little strand of reality. "Can't tell them. Can't tell her. She'd destroy you. Blame you. Stay with you."

"Not home," The voice agreed. "With me." Assured that she all would be well, that no more strife would be caused because of her, Leigh let herself drift.

* * *

"How is she?" Daniel asked as soon as Dr. Janet Frasier walked out of the operating room. He'd already been checked over and cleared to leave the infirmary, though he wasn't to be on active duty again until the goose egg on his head went away.

"She's live," She remarked with a sigh, though she looked impressed. "The how is a miracle. Every rock that came down must have hit her. You're incredibly lucky that you're not in the same shape. I'll know more in the morning, I don't expect her to come to before then. In the meantime, her vitals and brain activity are good, and we're doing everything we can for her. She'll be a long time recovering though, and she'll need somewhere to do it. I would volunteer but-"

"You're thinking she's going to turn you down," He finished for her.

"Precisely," She gave him that smile that she always did right before she asked a favor, or gave an order. "There's one person on this base that she seems to trust, and she's already made it clear that she doesn't want us to contact her family. As long as she's primarily cognizant, we can't go against her wishes. She'll need somebody. I'm not saying that you have to do it, but think about it okay? After what she's been through, I don't think she'll be all that comfortable underground. It certainly wouldn't help her recovery any."

"I'll think about it." Daniel promised. For all that she'd been a pain, there were so many questions he had for her, so many things he wanted to know. Not the least of which was what she'd been talking about in that cave in. He had a sneaking suspicion that he knew, but he dearly hoped that he was wrong. The General had already determined that she'd told them everything that she could about the deal that had gone wrong. She wasn't being held for questioning anymore, just for protection, with a security detail that could be accomplished anywhere. "You're sure she's going to be alright?"

"Positive," The diminutive doctor assured with a bemused grin. "She'll be back to annoying you in no time."


	13. Wait What?

Chapter 13: Wait... What?

Disclaimer: This can be found in chapter one.

Author Note: Without further ado, I give you then newly rewritten chapter thirteen. I hope that you enjoy it.

* * *

Leigh McAllister woke to pain. The beeping in the background, and the feeling of an IV in her arm told her she was in an hospital, or infirmary. The scent didn't hurt either. She hated the sterile, chemical smell of hospitals. It reminded her of death. Not that anyone she'd ever known had been in the hospital when they died. No, she'd buried people without the help of incompetent doctors and their depressing hospitals. So what was she doing in a hospital now?

She was in pain, that much was clear, and when she tried to open her eyes to get a look at her surroundings, it proved difficult. Whatever had happened her face was swollen. With effort, she managed to open her eyes to small slits, and saw a call button within reach. She pushed it. Something about this place, the weight of the air around her, seemed vaguely familiar. A half remembered dream tugged at her mind, but thinking hurt so she pushed her thoughts away. There would be time for thinking later, when it didn't feel as if she'd been hit by a semi and could do it clearly. In her current condition she wasn't going anywhere anyway. A head injury, broken ribs, from the pain in her chest, a familiar itch told her that she'd gotten stitches somewhere along the way. There was no telling what other injuries the pain from those were hiding from her, escape now wouldn't be possible even if she could think. Rest would be her friend, so she laid back and waited.

She didn't have to wait long for the sound of shuffling feet and flipping papers. The sounds were comforting and yet disturbing at the same time. There were people who would happily experiment on her, but then again, it could just be a doctor. From the way she was feeling, as wary as she was of them, she could use one. She opened her eyes to get a look at the person who'd come to her call. She was small, dark haired, and far from threatening. Leigh relaxed, just a little.

"You're awake already," The doctor said with a bright, if tired smile. She turned her eyes to the monitors that Leigh was attached to. "How are you feeling?"

"I hurt," Leigh responded, surprised by the weak, hoarse nature of her voice. "My head's fuzzy. Do I know you?" She tacked the question on as an after thought. This wasn't Dr. Chesterfield who'd been her physician for as long as she could remember. She couldn't begin to count the number of times she'd had him flown in when she'd been injured away from home, so where was he now? She trusted him. "Where am I? What happened?"

"My name is Janet Frasier, I'm a doctor, and you're in the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, in the infirmary. As for what happened, a decent chunk of a mountain fell on you. I'm not surprised that you don't remember it, you took quite a beating." Dr. Frasier pulled a small flashlight from her pocket, and shined it into her eyes making Leigh wince as the pain in her head got worse. "Can you tell me what today's date is?"

Leigh opened her mouth to answer, then shut it as she realized that she wasn't sure. "No, I can't, I should be able to, but-" She closed her eyes against the sudden spike of pain in her head. "I can't remember this place, or the date or anything. It hurts to think, and everything's all fuzzy. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," The doctor's tone was reassuring. "It's something of a miracle that you're alive at all, much less awake. It'll all come back to you in time. I'm going to go get you something for the pain. If you're up to it after that, there's someone who's refused to leave my infirmary until they see you for themselves."

"Okay," Leigh whispered, trying to smile. After all there was only one person she could think of that would behave that way. Keeping Deirdra out wasn't usually a good idea. _It's not Deirdra_, The thought popped into her head, nagging at her. She dismissed it. If not Deirdra, then who?

* * *

"I have half a mind to throw you out of my infirmary," Janet's cool, but good humored voice woke Daniel from his doze. The chair had been a less than comfortable place to sleep, and he ached in several places. He was getting old. "But you were right, she woke up, and she's healing remarkably well. That's where the good news stops. She seems to have developed a form of amnesia. I don't think that it will be permanent. Just don't be surprised if she doesn't recognize you."

"How extensive are we talking here?" Daniel asked with a frown.

"I'm not sure exactly. I think it may take someone who knew her well to tell for sure. I know she showed no sign of recognition when I told her where she was. She's aware that she's missing memories, which is means it's still in there somewhere, just fuzzy. That's her word not mine. I think a face that should be familiar might help a bit."

"I can see her then?" He asked, wanting to see for himself that she was well. She never would have been with them if he'd just let her turn around. Let her say that she couldn't do it. Beyond that, he was the one that she'd had the most interaction with, if anyone available could jog her memory it would be him, and he knew it. Not that he had any illusions about his impact on her, but he had been the bane of her existence. Or so she'd told him often enough.

"Ten minutes," Janet told him, smiling. Like as not, she'd planned for just that. "Then the both of you need to be getting to sleep. That's an order." As per his usual, Daniel ignored that last bit. If Leigh looked too tired, he'd leave on his own, and Janet would kick him out when his time was up.

He stopped for a moment in the doorway to look at her. Her eyes were closed, her face bruised and swollen. Every part of her that he could see was sporting at least one bruise. Even still she looked a lot better than she had when they'd brought her back through the gate. Not being covered in blood helped, the blanket and bandages that covered a good portion of her hid the worst of her injuries.

"Janet told me that you were awake," He said softly as he made his way to the head of her bed. Experience had taught him not to sneak up on her. "I'd ask how you were feeling, but from the looks of things that would be a little superfluous. You look like Hell." He settled himself into a chair by her bed.

"You don't look so great yourself," Leigh murmured as she slitted her eyes open. "Who are you? I should know you," She continued with a frown. "I feel trust for you, why?"

"My name is Daniel, and we met about two weeks ago,"He smiled slightly. "I can't begin to imagine why you trust me, it's the first that I've heard of it. You were usually telling me that you hated me." No matter what he said, it had been gratifying to hear her say that she trusted him. It hadn't come easily, and a little well placed trust could very well be exactly what she needed.

Leigh's head was shaking before he even finished talking. "You're not Daniel, that's not right, and I don't hate you," She closed her eyes as her face scrunched up in pain. "It hurts sometimes, when I try to think," She explained. "What happened to me?"

"I assure you that Daniel is my name, though I will admit that you had a tendency to refer to me by honorific. As for what happened," Daniel drew in a deep breath, taking a moment to compose his thoughts before continuing. "We were on the edge of a very sheer cliff, admiring the view. There was a big earthquake. You tackled us away from the edge, but the whole area was unstable. We ended up taking a long fall."

"During which I was unlucky enough to catch every piece of debris on the way down," Leigh quipped, and he took the slight up-turnings at the corners of her mouth to be an attempt at a smile. "Just my luck I guess. What was I doing looking at a view with you anyway?"

"Honestly?" She nodded slightly, "You were admiring the beauty of the world that lay before you. Contemplating life I would imagine." He ducked his head. "I was admiring a side of you that you'd never let me see before. You'd have stayed right there on the edge of that cliff forever if you could have. I have no doubt of it."

"Deirdra never would have let me. Where is she? Where's my sister? She's never been one to be away. Following orders, most especially from a doctor isn't her strong suit."

"She doesn't know that you've been hurt. You requested that your family not be informed."

"Good," Leigh said, shifting deeper into her pillows. "Let's keep it that way okay? They have a tendency to be unhappy when I get hurt. Heads roll, sometimes literally."

"Whatever you say," He promised, moving to stand. "I should let you get your rest."

"Stay, please!" Leigh's hand shot out towards him, and there was desperation in her voice. "The air is too heavy, it's worse when I'm alone. Please stay?"

"I can't stay," He said apologetically, catching her hand and squeezing it before he put it back on the bed. Emerald eyes looked up at him full of pleading, and Daniel sighed. "You need to rest." Leigh started to pout. Somehow, he kept the exasperated sound inside. "Fine, if it means that much to you, I'll stay until you fall asleep. You have to actually try to sleep though."

"Okay," She whispered, head lolling to the side as her medications caught up with her. "Will you tell me a story?" She requested, eyes already starting to close. "Something happy?"

A rueful grin tugged at his lips as he sat back down. Why couldn't she have been this cooperative a week ago? "I can try, but I don't make any promises," She gave him a sleepy smile, and he cleared his throat, then mind made up began to speak. The ending was already floating around in her head after all, what harm was there in telling her the happy parts too? "There was once a planet called Abydos. The people lived in fear, enslaved by a race called the Goa'uld. One day, a group of men came through a large ring called the stargate..."

* * *

When next Leigh woke she felt a good deal better then she had the last time. She still hurt, badly, and in many locations. Every breath felt like multiple stab wounds, but her face didn't feel as tight anymore. Her eyes opened easily when she decided to open them, and she smiled slightly when she saw Daniel slumped against the wall in a chair. _Dr. Jackson_, Her memory piped up. He'd stayed, whatever their relationship, she knew why she trusted him now. He genuinely gave a damn.

"Dr. Jackson, it's time to wake up," She announced, reassured that her voice was a good deal stronger today. "Sleepy time is over," She tried again in sing-song, and much louder. That got his attention, and he woke with a start. "Good morning Dr. Jackson."

"Your memory is returning I see," He grumbled as he rubbed at his eyes. He didn't sound overly happy about that supposed fact. He blinked a few times, then started some subtle stretching.

"Just that so far, and that this is a United States military compound. I also get the feeling that I didn't entirely come here of my own accord. What did I get into this time?" Leigh couldn't help but smile as she asked that question. Not that she'd ended up in military custody before, but some of the things her sister had gotten her into had come very close.

"You tried to trade technology for a power source. It didn't go as planned, and you ended up breaking into one of the United States' most secure facilities."

Leigh felt her jaw drop, flabbergasted. "I actually went through with it? How in all that is holy did Deirdra talk me into that crack pot, idiotic-" She made a small noise of frustration and bit her lip against massive amounts of pain as her blood pressure rose several points. "One of these days I'm going to resign and actually mean it. I don't know how she talks me into these things, I'm smarter than that I know I am. That sort of field work has always been her, **insane**, passion not mine, and she bloody well knows it!" Leigh stopped herself then, not at all sure what these people had known before, but quite sure that she'd just given them more than ever.

"Good job getting my patient riled up," Dr. Frasier said from the doorway, and Leigh's head snapped in her direction. "Feeling better this morning I see," The frown she'd thrown at Dr. Jackson disappeared into a smile as she looked to Leigh herself.

"A lot. When can I get out of here? I have a neck to wring."

"I'm going to go get some coffee," Daniel put in quickly as he made his escape. Dr. Frasier ignored him.

"Depending on a few things, you may be able to leave the infirmary later today. I wouldn't suggest trying to wring any necks for a couple of weeks though. You have a lot of stitches in you, most internal. I don't want to see you right back in my operating room." The look she gave Leigh made the younger woman wonder how she'd ever thought that she didn't seem at all threatening. "How are your pain levels?"

"High, but not so high as to require medication. When do I get to eat?" Leigh asked as Frasier moved to the side of the bed. "I'm starving."

"I'll send someone to get you breakfast just as soon as I'm done looking you over," The doctor assured as she pulled back the blankets and began to look Leigh over from head to feet. "Well, no sign of infection anywhere, and you're healing very quickly." There was a questioning tone to her voice.

"I've always been a fast healer," Leigh confided. This was true, the fact that her nanites were helping her didn't change the predisposition that she'd already had.

"Here I'd been hoping that it had something to do with the nanites floating around in your blood. That would have been a wonderful medical break through. I can't begin to imagine how many lives could be saved if there was a way to replicate the effect. Well," Dr. Frasier said as she finished up her examination, and pulled the blanket back up for Leigh. "I'm done here for now. Someone should be by with your breakfast shortly, and you should be out of here by lunch. You may want to think about where you want to spend your recovery. There are a few things that you'll need to be briefed on..." She shook her head. "Just think about if there's anyone you'd feel comfortable staying with, okay?" Then the doctor left her to her thoughts, and the weight in the air.

It didn't take long for the room to start closing in around her. With each moment her breath came harder. Focusing on the concrete around her didn't help in the least. The labored breaths that she was taking hurt, and the world around her started to spin. The electronic beeping on the monitors went crazy. She needed to calm down, and she knew it. She just couldn't make herself. She closed her eyes against the pain, and struggled to draw a breath, then the doctor was there.

Within moments, she felt herself begin to relax, slowly, her breathing calmed. Then she drifted slightly, warm and calm. "I'm sorry," She apologized. "I tried to calm down, but the air kept pressing down on me. The room, everything kept closing in."

Dr. Frasier sighed. "I knew that this was a possibility. It's not uncommon for people who have been caught in cave-ins to develop claustrophobia. That's part of why I was hoping to release you sooner as opposed to later."

"Am I interrupting something?" Leigh's eyes moved to the doorway, and Dr. Jackson with a tray in his hands. "I thought that I may as well bring you breakfast since I was already there. There wasn't any Jello," His expression was enough to get a rough chuckle from Leigh. She couldn't begin to imagine why he looked so apologetic.

"Ah yes, Jello," Dr Frasier, smiled slightly, obviously in on the joke. "I'll let you two be, I have paper work to take care of. Keep an eye on him, and make sure that he eats." With that the doctor left the room with a pointed look cast at Dr. Jackson.

"I wasn't sure what you would want to eat, so I brought you a little bit of everything." He set the tray on her bedside stand. "I take it I missed something pretty big?" He asked as she moved the bed into a sitting position.

"I'm apparently claustrophobic now," She admitted. There was no point hiding it after all, she had no doubts that it would come out sooner or later. "Dr. Frasier wants to get me out of here as soon as possible, but I don't really have anywhere to go. It's not like I can just show up on mom and dad's front porch without **someone** wanting to do something about my condition. She talked about a briefing?"

"It's nothing," He assured her as he sat down in the chair that he'd spent the night in. "I wouldn't worry about it if I was you," He drew in a deep breath. "As for having nowhere to go, you're welcome to stay with me." A slight smile tugged at his lips as he looked at her from under his lashes. "You sort of asked to, when you were out of it, in the cave."

"Why would I... Why would you..." Leigh spluttered to a stop, feeling her cheeks heat as she grimaced at the sudden stab from the vicinity of her ribs. She had never in her life lived with a man that was not her father, of that she was completely certain. Nor could she imagine asking one to allow her to do so. "What sort of relationship did we have?"

* * *

End Note: There you have it. I know it didn't end in the best place ever, but I was having trouble finding that cut off place. It was as good as any. Hope you all enjoyed it.


	14. An Ending of Sorts

Disclaimer: Everything in this one is all mine. : )

A/N: I know, I know, I'm ending on a cliffy, but nothing I managed to write seemed to really want to work. Enjoy.

* * *

Here it was, her chance to make a change, the only question that remained was if her ever sacrificing sister would take that chance or not. She'd been so certain this time, that she'd pushed Leigh to the edge and beyond. _If it hadn't been for that damned cave in, I may well have. _The bitter thought was chased from Dierdre's mind almost as soon as it entered it. She had an opportunity here, one that she couldn't have designed better. Her sister was injured, off balance, and in the care of people who Dierdre knew with a certainty were implicitly trust worthy. If ever the table was set for a chance to see what Leigh **really** wanted this was the setting. All it would take was a few seconds connection with her sister's nanities, a small manipulation, and Leigh would be less a few unfortunate memories. Her mind would find a way to compensate of course, all it would take would be a few gentle suggestions to fill the void, and then it would be done.

Perhaps she shouldn't do it. It was a violation of her sister's trust, a major one at that. An exploitation of the safeguard that they had created to avoid having to kill one another, in case one of them was ever under under outside influence, or went rouge. Still, Leigh had always wanted a normal life, or so she'd said. She could never have one of those with some of the things that plagued her mind. If she was happy with something akin to normalcy, then it would be done. If, as Deirdre suspected, Leigh wasn't cut out for the monotony of a "normal" life, then time would tell, and she'd be right there to fix it. Either way Leigh won.

A small smile curved the corners of Deirdre's mouth up in an almost manic grin. This wasn't going to be easy, for all that it would happen quickly. A large application of force of will would be necessary, but she was up to the challenge she was sure. Especially when she was so close to the mountain. _Let's just hope da doesn't find out about this until she's back to normal. He'd kill me, or have me hauled out for treason. _Deirdre mused as she closed her eyes and concentrated on the connections between her nanities, and Leigh's. Then the real work began. Hopefully it didn't hurt her sister too much after all, when she was done, the nanities would be operating at a very greatly reduced capacity.

* * *

A/N: This has been Mistaken Identity. Tune in in the following weeks for it's continuation in an all new shiny sequel that has yet to be named, not that I don't have ideas... As if that will inspire any amount of confidence. Anyway folks, it's been a long time getting here, and it's been fun. Thank you all for reading this far, and I hope that you will continue to do so. Reviews are great, critiques are better. Love you all, and Happy Holidays!


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